ITALY: The Generous Lender

In the Romagna region around Bologna, no man was a more generous lender and spender than Giambattista Giuffrè. To thousands of citizens, he was the selfless benefactor whose savings he increased and whose towns he rebuilt. To the Roman Catholic priests and friars whose works he aided, Giuffrè was, in the words of Monsignor Antonio Bergamaschi, Bishop of Montefeltro, "a generous soul open to any welfare initiative." The Vatican made Giuffre a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, and the President of Italy honored him with the title of Commendatore. About the good...

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