Saint Guido of Anderlecht and the Gran Sasso rescue

September 12 marks the feast day of Saint Guido of Anderlecht, a highly venerated religious figure in Belgium. Born around 950 to a peasant family in Brabant, Guido served as a sacristan near Brussels before dedicating his life to extreme poverty and helping the needy. After losing his commercial assets in a shipwreck on the Seine, he undertook extensive pilgrimages to various sanctuaries, including Jerusalem. He is considered a precursor to Franciscan spirituality and is the patron saint of sacristans, bellringers, and coachmen.

Historically, September 12, 1943, is noted for Operation Eiche, a German commando mission that rescued Benito Mussolini from imprisonment at Campo Imperatore on the Gran Sasso in Italy. The operation involved German paratroopers who used gliders to reach the hotel following the fall of the Italian regime.