Teresa Bracco

Teresa Bracco (24 February 1924 – 28 August 1944) was an Italian Catholic from Savona killed during World War II after refusing to submit to the sexual aggression of a Nazi soldier.

Her siblings were: The birth of her sister Anna was one of profound happiness for her parents though her father would have preferred a male in order to take possession of the farm when he was older.

Father Natale Olivieri came to her hometown of Santa Giulia in 1930 and was impressed with Bracco; he instructed her in catechism and also provided her with a range of religious texts for her to broaden her faith and her knowledge.

Bracco disliked makeup though her attractiveness to men in her town saw them seek to walk with her in the fields or to Mass – she allowed this as a favor to them though remained reserved and modest in both action and thought.

On 28 August 1944 she attended morning Mass at 7:00am and then went to work in the fields with her two sisters Anna and Adele when the three heard gunshots all of a sudden.

Father Natele searched the woods and discovered her remains on 30 August alongside Bracco's sister.

Olivieri hurried to cover her remains and Doctor Scorza was summoned to confirm the death and examine what had occurred.

John Paul II issued his final approval on 7 July 1997 in a decree and on his pastoral visit to Turin beatified her on 24 May 1998.