In July 2007, while Pope Benedict XVI was vacationing at Lorenzago di Cadore, the then Bishop of Treviso, Andrea Bruno Mazzocato, introduced an elderly, white haired, smiling, small built priest to the Pontiff. This priest soon made headlines. At 96, he was the oldest serving parish priest in the world. After 71 years of priesthood, he had just finished celebrating his 36,495th mass earlier during the day.
Long time parish priest of Caposile di Musile, Venice, Monsignor Armando Durighetto was born on May 9, 1911, at Zero Branco, Province of Treviso, Italy, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1936. One of ten children, he came from a poor family, raised by his mother following the early death of her husband.
Director of the Patronato di San Nicolò of Treviso, parish priest of Pederobba, Tombolo and Monastier, he also rendered services across San Donà, Musile, and Jesolo. Durighetto arrived at Caposile in 1956. Here at this small fraction of Musile, he was destined to stay for the remainder of his days.
In 75 years of priesthood, Don Armando served under six bishops and nine Popes. In 2007, he recalled, «ho visto tanti papi e tanti vescovi che hanno tentato di mandarmi in pensione ma io ho pensionato loro; adesso so che quello che c'è invece dovrà seppellirmi ma sono felice lo stesso».
Longtime custodian of the Basso Piave Cemetery, which houses the remains of twenty two thousand fallen war heroes, back in the 1950's there was not even a single plaque to remember any of these soldiers. Along the years, Don Armando managed to construct not only a cemetery but also a splendid chapel to their memory. There he also constructed a reproduction of the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, to whom he was particularly devoted, visiting along the year the Pyrenees foothills 25 times, being named in his later years honorary citizen of the town and honorary chaplain of the Basilica in appreciation.
His humanitarian activities following the Great 1966 Flooding, including the Cantina Sociale for the Agricultures and the Asilo of Caposile, where officially recognized in 1972, when he appointed Cavaliere della Repubblica. In 2010, he was named Commendatore by the President of the Italian Republic. Apart from the named honoreficences, he also received various other medals in recognition of his long pastoral, humanitarian and communitarian activities, as well as for his activism for liberation during the Second World War.
Hundreds of people would seek his advice in confession following mass day after day. A man of deep prayer, during his long period as parish priest, he constructed the new parish church and instituted the parish choir.
On May 9, 2011 Don Armando celebrated his 100th birthday. All Caposile participated in the activities which followed. «Me par de no ver niente, mi sento libero, ma sono cento!», he expressed. And his thoughts went to the Lord, «Signor, fa' ti quel che te ool co' un poro vecio», and to the Virgin Mary, «con la Madonna ho fatto un patto: tienimi qui più che puoi e io ti vengo a trovare a Lourdes».
In his last weeks, he was extinguishing slowly, like a candle. Though tired and confused, he recited his prayers before entering bed. Later on during the night, Don Armando, passed peacefully away at his residence in Caposile, on Saturday, December 18, 2011. Nearly all of Caposile paid their respects to their longtime parish priest as he was laid out in state at the Canonica. His funeral Mass, presided by Archbishop Gianfranco Agostino Gardin OFM. Conv., was celebrated on the following Monday at his beloved parish at 15.30 pm.
The Mayor of Caposile took care in having constructed at the local cemetery, a special vault to house the remains of this beloved priest, in the centre of the Campo Santo, as to remain «at the centre of his community».
On December 18, 2016, his remains were transferred to his beloved parish church and there reinterred in a specifically constructed vault in small chapel near the main altar, fulfilling thus, the priest's wish, who on numerous occasions had expressed his desire to be buried inside the said church that had him as a parish priest for 55 long years.
Long time parish priest of Caposile di Musile, Venice, Monsignor Armando Durighetto was born on May 9, 1911, at Zero Branco, Province of Treviso, Italy, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1936. One of ten children, he came from a poor family, raised by his mother following the early death of her husband.
Director of the Patronato di San Nicolò of Treviso, parish priest of Pederobba, Tombolo and Monastier, he also rendered services across San Donà, Musile, and Jesolo. Durighetto arrived at Caposile in 1956. Here at this small fraction of Musile, he was destined to stay for the remainder of his days.
In 75 years of priesthood, Don Armando served under six bishops and nine Popes. In 2007, he recalled, «ho visto tanti papi e tanti vescovi che hanno tentato di mandarmi in pensione ma io ho pensionato loro; adesso so che quello che c'è invece dovrà seppellirmi ma sono felice lo stesso».
Longtime custodian of the Basso Piave Cemetery, which houses the remains of twenty two thousand fallen war heroes, back in the 1950's there was not even a single plaque to remember any of these soldiers. Along the years, Don Armando managed to construct not only a cemetery but also a splendid chapel to their memory. There he also constructed a reproduction of the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, to whom he was particularly devoted, visiting along the year the Pyrenees foothills 25 times, being named in his later years honorary citizen of the town and honorary chaplain of the Basilica in appreciation.
His humanitarian activities following the Great 1966 Flooding, including the Cantina Sociale for the Agricultures and the Asilo of Caposile, where officially recognized in 1972, when he appointed Cavaliere della Repubblica. In 2010, he was named Commendatore by the President of the Italian Republic. Apart from the named honoreficences, he also received various other medals in recognition of his long pastoral, humanitarian and communitarian activities, as well as for his activism for liberation during the Second World War.
Hundreds of people would seek his advice in confession following mass day after day. A man of deep prayer, during his long period as parish priest, he constructed the new parish church and instituted the parish choir.
On May 9, 2011 Don Armando celebrated his 100th birthday. All Caposile participated in the activities which followed. «Me par de no ver niente, mi sento libero, ma sono cento!», he expressed. And his thoughts went to the Lord, «Signor, fa' ti quel che te ool co' un poro vecio», and to the Virgin Mary, «con la Madonna ho fatto un patto: tienimi qui più che puoi e io ti vengo a trovare a Lourdes».
In his last weeks, he was extinguishing slowly, like a candle. Though tired and confused, he recited his prayers before entering bed. Later on during the night, Don Armando, passed peacefully away at his residence in Caposile, on Saturday, December 18, 2011. Nearly all of Caposile paid their respects to their longtime parish priest as he was laid out in state at the Canonica. His funeral Mass, presided by Archbishop Gianfranco Agostino Gardin OFM. Conv., was celebrated on the following Monday at his beloved parish at 15.30 pm.
The Mayor of Caposile took care in having constructed at the local cemetery, a special vault to house the remains of this beloved priest, in the centre of the Campo Santo, as to remain «at the centre of his community».
On December 18, 2016, his remains were transferred to his beloved parish church and there reinterred in a specifically constructed vault in small chapel near the main altar, fulfilling thus, the priest's wish, who on numerous occasions had expressed his desire to be buried inside the said church that had him as a parish priest for 55 long years.
In July 2007, while Pope Benedict XVI was vacationing at Lorenzago di Cadore, the then Bishop of Treviso, Andrea Bruno Mazzocato, introduced an elderly, white haired, smiling, small built priest to the Pontiff. This priest soon made headlines. At 96, he was the oldest serving parish priest in the world. After 71 years of priesthood, he had just finished celebrating his 36,495th mass earlier during the day.
Long time parish priest of Caposile di Musile, Venice, Monsignor Armando Durighetto was born on May 9, 1911, at Zero Branco, Province of Treviso, Italy, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1936. One of ten children, he came from a poor family, raised by his mother following the early death of her husband.
Director of the Patronato di San Nicolò of Treviso, parish priest of Pederobba, Tombolo and Monastier, he also rendered services across San Donà, Musile, and Jesolo. Durighetto arrived at Caposile in 1956. Here at this small fraction of Musile, he was destined to stay for the remainder of his days.
In 75 years of priesthood, Don Armando served under six bishops and nine Popes. In 2007, he recalled, «ho visto tanti papi e tanti vescovi che hanno tentato di mandarmi in pensione ma io ho pensionato loro; adesso so che quello che c'è invece dovrà seppellirmi ma sono felice lo stesso».
Longtime custodian of the Basso Piave Cemetery, which houses the remains of twenty two thousand fallen war heroes, back in the 1950's there was not even a single plaque to remember any of these soldiers. Along the years, Don Armando managed to construct not only a cemetery but also a splendid chapel to their memory. There he also constructed a reproduction of the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, to whom he was particularly devoted, visiting along the year the Pyrenees foothills 25 times, being named in his later years honorary citizen of the town and honorary chaplain of the Basilica in appreciation.
His humanitarian activities following the Great 1966 Flooding, including the Cantina Sociale for the Agricultures and the Asilo of Caposile, where officially recognized in 1972, when he appointed Cavaliere della Repubblica. In 2010, he was named Commendatore by the President of the Italian Republic. Apart from the named honoreficences, he also received various other medals in recognition of his long pastoral, humanitarian and communitarian activities, as well as for his activism for liberation during the Second World War.
Hundreds of people would seek his advice in confession following mass day after day. A man of deep prayer, during his long period as parish priest, he constructed the new parish church and instituted the parish choir.
On May 9, 2011 Don Armando celebrated his 100th birthday. All Caposile participated in the activities which followed. «Me par de no ver niente, mi sento libero, ma sono cento!», he expressed. And his thoughts went to the Lord, «Signor, fa' ti quel che te ool co' un poro vecio», and to the Virgin Mary, «con la Madonna ho fatto un patto: tienimi qui più che puoi e io ti vengo a trovare a Lourdes».
In his last weeks, he was extinguishing slowly, like a candle. Though tired and confused, he recited his prayers before entering bed. Later on during the night, Don Armando, passed peacefully away at his residence in Caposile, on Saturday, December 18, 2011. Nearly all of Caposile paid their respects to their longtime parish priest as he was laid out in state at the Canonica. His funeral Mass, presided by Archbishop Gianfranco Agostino Gardin OFM. Conv., was celebrated on the following Monday at his beloved parish at 15.30 pm.
The Mayor of Caposile took care in having constructed at the local cemetery, a special vault to house the remains of this beloved priest, in the centre of the Campo Santo, as to remain «at the centre of his community».
On December 18, 2016, his remains were transferred to his beloved parish church and there reinterred in a specifically constructed vault in small chapel near the main altar, fulfilling thus, the priest's wish, who on numerous occasions had expressed his desire to be buried inside the said church that had him as a parish priest for 55 long years.
Long time parish priest of Caposile di Musile, Venice, Monsignor Armando Durighetto was born on May 9, 1911, at Zero Branco, Province of Treviso, Italy, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1936. One of ten children, he came from a poor family, raised by his mother following the early death of her husband.
Director of the Patronato di San Nicolò of Treviso, parish priest of Pederobba, Tombolo and Monastier, he also rendered services across San Donà, Musile, and Jesolo. Durighetto arrived at Caposile in 1956. Here at this small fraction of Musile, he was destined to stay for the remainder of his days.
In 75 years of priesthood, Don Armando served under six bishops and nine Popes. In 2007, he recalled, «ho visto tanti papi e tanti vescovi che hanno tentato di mandarmi in pensione ma io ho pensionato loro; adesso so che quello che c'è invece dovrà seppellirmi ma sono felice lo stesso».
Longtime custodian of the Basso Piave Cemetery, which houses the remains of twenty two thousand fallen war heroes, back in the 1950's there was not even a single plaque to remember any of these soldiers. Along the years, Don Armando managed to construct not only a cemetery but also a splendid chapel to their memory. There he also constructed a reproduction of the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, to whom he was particularly devoted, visiting along the year the Pyrenees foothills 25 times, being named in his later years honorary citizen of the town and honorary chaplain of the Basilica in appreciation.
His humanitarian activities following the Great 1966 Flooding, including the Cantina Sociale for the Agricultures and the Asilo of Caposile, where officially recognized in 1972, when he appointed Cavaliere della Repubblica. In 2010, he was named Commendatore by the President of the Italian Republic. Apart from the named honoreficences, he also received various other medals in recognition of his long pastoral, humanitarian and communitarian activities, as well as for his activism for liberation during the Second World War.
Hundreds of people would seek his advice in confession following mass day after day. A man of deep prayer, during his long period as parish priest, he constructed the new parish church and instituted the parish choir.
On May 9, 2011 Don Armando celebrated his 100th birthday. All Caposile participated in the activities which followed. «Me par de no ver niente, mi sento libero, ma sono cento!», he expressed. And his thoughts went to the Lord, «Signor, fa' ti quel che te ool co' un poro vecio», and to the Virgin Mary, «con la Madonna ho fatto un patto: tienimi qui più che puoi e io ti vengo a trovare a Lourdes».
In his last weeks, he was extinguishing slowly, like a candle. Though tired and confused, he recited his prayers before entering bed. Later on during the night, Don Armando, passed peacefully away at his residence in Caposile, on Saturday, December 18, 2011. Nearly all of Caposile paid their respects to their longtime parish priest as he was laid out in state at the Canonica. His funeral Mass, presided by Archbishop Gianfranco Agostino Gardin OFM. Conv., was celebrated on the following Monday at his beloved parish at 15.30 pm.
The Mayor of Caposile took care in having constructed at the local cemetery, a special vault to house the remains of this beloved priest, in the centre of the Campo Santo, as to remain «at the centre of his community».
On December 18, 2016, his remains were transferred to his beloved parish church and there reinterred in a specifically constructed vault in small chapel near the main altar, fulfilling thus, the priest's wish, who on numerous occasions had expressed his desire to be buried inside the said church that had him as a parish priest for 55 long years.
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