Father Lido Mencarini was born on November 30, 1916, in Lucca, Tuscany, into a deeply Catholic family. From an early age, he showed a strong spiritual sensitivity and a deep sense of moral duty. He decided to enter the seminary to pursue a missionary vocation and joined the PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions). He was ordained a priest on August 6, 1939, but could not leave for an overseas mission due to the outbreak of World War II. He was therefore assigned to the parish of San Paolo in Cantù, in the Diocese of Milan, where he began serving as assistant pastor in 1941.
During those years, Italy experienced dramatic times marked by the Fascist regime, the German occupation, and the intensification of persecution against Jews and political dissidents. After September 8, 1943, deportations to extermination camps increased, and the nearby Swiss border became a lifeline for many. In that context, Father Lido chose not to remain a mere spectator in the face of injustice but to become a point of reference for those whose lives were in danger.
Starting in September 1943, he courageously and discreetly organized a network to help the persecuted. He arranged clandestine crossings into Switzerland for Jews and foreign prisoners, provided false documents, civilian clothes, and practical guidance for crossing the border. For these operations, he relied on the collaboration of the Italian Red Cross branch in Cantù, directed by Tina Cattaneo, who played a crucial role in the logistical organization of the journeys to Switzerland. Within the parish, he set up safe hiding places: behind the Chapel of the Madonna, secret shelters were created where fugitives could stay during the most dangerous moments.
Among the best-documented cases were two Jewish families named Gabbai, six people in total. Coming from Capannori, in the province of Lucca — Father Mencarini’s own hometown — they arrived in Cantù on December 29, 1943. They were hidden in the parish for about a month and, on January 28, 1944, managed to cross the border through the Laghetto pass near Chiasso, passing through Maslianico and San Fermo della Battaglia. The episode is documented in the priest’s handwritten “Mass Register,” in the section titled Clandestine Activities, and is confirmed by files preserved in the Cantonal Archives of Bellinzona, where names, dates, and the details of the escape coincide.
The network Father Mencarini built connected men and women of the local community, youth from the parish oratory, and trusted collaborators. With the help of a contact working inside the police headquarters of Como, he managed to obtain lists of people scheduled for arrest and deportation. That confidential information allowed dozens of Jews and anti-Fascists to flee in time, avoiding capture. His actions were carried out with the utmost secrecy: even a small mistake could have endangered not only his own life but also the lives of many others. Nazi-Fascist troops controlled the area closely, and maintaining anonymity was essential for the success of the operations.
Despite the risks, Father Lido never stopped. Over those years, he saved dozens of lives and helped create a sense of protection around the most vulnerable. After the end of the war, he resumed his missionary path and, in 1947, departed for Hong Kong, where he spent most of his priestly life. In the Far East, he held positions of great responsibility within the diocese and the Institute: he served as Vicar General, Director of the Catholic Centre, Mission Procurator, and later Regional Superior of PIME. Alongside his pastoral duties, he dedicated himself passionately to building schools and social centers, assisting refugees, and developing educational and charitable initiatives. Even far from Italy, he remained faithful to the calling of service that had inspired him to help the persecuted.
Father Mencarini lived with humility and discretion; he never sought recognition or honors, and for decades he kept silent about what he had done during the war. He died in Hong Kong on May 2, 2007. Only after his death did the full extent of his actions come to light, thanks to local testimonies and research: in Cantù and the Brianza area, many Jewish families survived thanks in part to his intervention. His name is now commemorated in the Giardino dei Giusti (Garden of the Righteous) in Erba, where a tree has been dedicated to him as a testament to his commitment to defending human life during the Holocaust.
In one of the darkest periods of history, the figure of Father Lido stands as an example of altruism and courage. He chose to act at a time when helping others meant exposing oneself to extreme danger; he operated discreetly, guided by a profound sense of justice and by the conviction that no human being should be persecuted. His story shows how even a single priest, in a small parish, could act as a Righteous — saving lives and transforming his ministry into a concrete act of resistance and compassion.
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