Enrichetta Alfieri was an Italian religious sister born in 1891 in Borgo Vercelli who belonged to the Sisters of Divine Charity. She is most widely recognized for her compassionate service to inmates at the San Vittore prison in Milan, where she earned the nicknames "the angel of San Vittore" and "the mother of San Vittore." During the Second World War, she assisted those facing persecution by smuggling messages and supplies. Despite being arrested by Nazi forces on espionage charges, she was released through the intervention of high-ranking church officials.
Life and service
After joining her congregation in 1911, Alfieri worked as a teacher until a debilitating spinal condition forced her to leave her position. Following a recovery that was attributed to a miracle after a pilgrimage to Lourdes, she began her ministry at the San Vittore prison in 1923. She eventually became the superior of the facility in 1939, providing care to prisoners, including those caught in the conflicts of the war.
Veneration
Alfieri was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011 at the Milan Cathedral. This honor followed the recognition of a miracle involving the healing of a woman in the 1990s. Her feast day is observed on 23 November, the anniversary of her death in 1951. She remains remembered for her devotion to the marginalized and her courage during wartime.