The discreet little church of Sant’Ivo dei Bretoni, located a few hundred meters from the church of San Luigi dei Francesi, has seen a steady stream of pilgrims since the beginning of the Youth Jubilee. There have been curious visitors from unexpected places, from Hungary to Canada and New Zealand.
The center of attention is a small cross made of flowers, displayed on a side altar of the church. It bears witness to a moving story that the French Embassy to the Holy See and the Pious Establishments of France wanted to highlight during the Jubilee, as part of the promotion of “young figures of holiness.”
A martyr of the Nazis
In the spring of 1944, young Frenchmen participating in “Compulsory Work Service” (STO, for its initials in French) in Germany were arrested for attempting to provide spiritual support to their fellow prisoners, an action strictly forbidden by the Gestapo since December 1943. Among this group of young prisoners in the city of Gotha was Marcel Callo, who was imprisoned with 11 other comrades, including a young priest, Father Jean Lecoq.
They had no religious objects, no crucifixes. But in August 1944, one member of the group, Camille Millet, managed to discreetly pick a handful of “immortellel” flowers, which do not wilt, while doing forced labor at a market gardener's.
He used them to make a cross-shaped object in front of which the group of 12 “apostles” could gather to pray in secret.
In October 1944, the dispersal of the group's members to various concentration camps led to the death of eight of them. However, the last prisoner remaining in Gotha, Fernand Morin, managed to secretly pass the cross on to another Breton prisoner, who brought it back to France after the end of the war.
Father Jean Lecoq, a survivor of the camps, recovered it and entrusted it to Fernand Morin, also a survivor, before his daughter passed it on to the Diocese of Rennes. It is the only “relic” bearing witness to the tragic spiritual adventure experienced by this group, as the bodies of the martyrs were never found.
A cherished figure in France
Among the many young people filing through the church, many already know the story of Marcel Callo but are surprised to discover this devotional object that has been through so many trials and tribulations.
Guénolé, whose scout troop is named after Blessed Marcel Callo, sees him as “an example of courage and strength” and a model of friendship, like Pier Giorgio Frassati. “Marcel Callo was very active in youth groups. He left for Germany in very difficult circumstances but with a missionary spirit. He is truly a model of faith,” emphasizes the young man from the Diocese of Vannes.
Barbara, a Mexican national, also came with the Diocese of Vannes, as she is currently on a missionary experience in Brittany. She appreciates the respect that young Bretons have for their history, especially that of Marcel Callo. "I see that among the Bretons, there is a lot of respect for historical figures, for those who gave their lives so that future generations could live freely,” she notes.
“I didn't know the story of Marcel Callo, but I can see that young people love him very much. It's very interesting and very touching," says the young woman.
An example in many ways
Father Nicolas Esnault, rector of Saint-Yves-des-Bretons, sees Marcel Callo as “a figure who calls to spiritual resistance.” He also sees in this young man, who was engaged to be married, a figure embodying “fidelity to God,” “fidelity to the person to whom one has promised to give one's life in engagement and marriage,” and also “a healthy patriotism.” “His refusal to desert transcended into an opportunity for evangelization,” he explains.
Thomas Gueydier is the postulator for the cause of canonization of Marcel Callo. He’s rejoicing deeply at the upcoming beatification of 50 other STO martyrs, who came from various walks of life: lay people, priests, seminarians, novices, and religious.
Gueydier explains that during the beatification of Marcel Callo in 1987, the question arose, “Why him and not the others?” He sees in the decree authorized by Leo XIV on June 20 a new opportunity to make this little-known episode of the resistance known. Also, he notes that the extensive work carried out to bring about this new beatification has brought to light new profiles with which young people can identify, particularly engaged or married couples.
“Marcel Callo's fiancée never married; she spent her entire life remembering her ‘little Marcel,’ as shown in her letters displayed at the World Youth Day in Lisbon,” explains Thomas Gueydier.
He recalls the trip to Rome of this “fiancée of the blessed,” who was still alive at the time of Marcel Callo's beatification. They offer an example of love and fidelity that transcends the vicissitudes of history and inspires young pilgrims discovering this amazing adventure.
