Priest held captive by Jihadists for 750 days, says greatest battle was not hating

Father Pier Luigi Maccalli, an Italian missionary, said his greatest struggle during 750 days of captivity was resisting the urge to hate his kidnappers. Maccalli told the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need that the ordeal changed his understanding of faith, peace, and forgiveness.

The missionary was serving in the village of Bomoanga, Niger, when armed jihadists seized him and transported him across the border into Mali. Maccalli described feeling crushed by despair when he realized his kidnappers were jihadists rather than common criminals.

During his captivity, Maccalli faced isolation and death threats. He said he struggled to follow the Christian command to love his enemies while being chained and deprived of his freedom. He noted that prayer and reflecting on the words of Jesus during the crucifixion helped him find an answer to this struggle.