Muslims Invade Italy

Did you hear that the Muslims invaded Italy and murdered thousands of people? 

This actually happened in the year 1481, but it appears to be happening all over again.

Battle and Martyrdom of Otranto (1480)

In July, the Ottoman Turkish Muslims invaded the city of Otranto in the Kingdom of Naples in a sneak attack, in an attempt to conquer Italy. The fearlessly strong resistance by the citizens of Otranto foiled the Turkish plan and bought Italy precious time to organize defenses and preparation to repel the invaders.

On 11 August, the Turks broke through Otranto's city walls. The Turkish army methodically passed from house to house, sacking, looting and setting them on fire. The few survivors took refuge in the cathedral. Archbishop Stefano Pendinelli, heroically calm, distributed the Eucharist and sat with the women and children of Otranto while a Dominican friar led the faithful in prayer. When the invading army broke open the door of the cathedral, the subsequent violence to the women, children and Archbishop—who was beheaded on the altar—shocked the Italian peninsula into action.

The Turks had taken the city, destroyed homes, enslaved 5.000 people and turned the cathedral into a mosque. About 12.000 civilians died in the capture of Otranto, but a small group of 800 were left alive, whom the Turks tried to forcibly convert. Eight hundred men, chained together, had lost home and family, and their only option was Islam or death. They chose death.

One man, a textile worker named Antonio Primaldo Pezzula, turned to his fellow citizens and declared: "My brothers, we have fought to save our city; now it is time to battle for our souls!" The 800 men, aged 15 and older, unanimously decided to follow Antonio's example and offered their lives to Christ.

The Muslim Turks offered to return their women and children from the chains of slavery if the men would embrace Islam, and threatened the men with beheading if they refused to agree. The men still refused.

On 14 August, on the vigil of the Assumption, the 800 men were led outside the city and beheaded by the Turks in a mass massacre. Their remains were later collected and are to this day kept in the Cathedral of Otranto.

In April, Pope Sixtus IV called for an Italian crusade to liberate the city.

In May, Christian forces besieged Otranto. The Turks surrendered in August and left Otranto in September 1481, ending the 13-month occupation. This was the one and only time in history the Turks ever briefly gained a foothold on the Italian peninsula; their plan to take Italy was aborted and all subsequent Turkish attempts ended in failure.