A group of priests was called to Rome on account of a grave business matter. They were bearers of important documents, and a large sum of money was entrusted to them for the Holy Father.

Before setting out, the priests made sure to choose a trusty driver for their journey. For they would have to pass through the Apennines, which were infested by vicious bandits. In those days, there was no tunnel through the mountains nor train to protect the travelers from those fiends. Their only protection lay in the skill of their driver, who would have to outrun and outsmart the murderous thugs if they showed up.

So even with a good driver, their situation was still extremely dangerous. Seeing this, the priests placed themselves under the powerful care of the Holy Souls and decided to say a De Profundis every hour for them.

Time passed slowly as their carriage wended its way through the Apennines. At length, they were right in the heart of the mountains… It was then that the silence was broken.

The driver suddenly gave the alarm and at the same time lashed the horses into a furious gallop. Looking around, the priests saw fierce bandits at each side of the road. The thugs were in position with rifles aimed, ready to fire.

The travelers soon realized that they were completely at the mercy of the bandits. They were not even shielded by the rocky terrain. Try as they might, there was no realistic chance of their escaping fast enough to avoid the gunfire.

But not a single shot rang out.

After an hour's headlong flight, the driver stopped and turned to the priests.

"I can not understand how we escaped!" he exclaimed. "These desperadoes never spare anyone. "

The Fathers were convinced that they owed their safety to the Holy Souls. This fact was afterwards confirmed beyond doubt.

When their business was concluded in Rome, one of the priests was detained and remained behind in the Eternal City. He was appointed chaplain to a prison.

Not long afterwards, one of the fiercest criminals in Italy was captured and condemned to death for a long series of murders. He was sent to this very prison in Rome to await his execution.

The chaplain of course very much wanted this unfortunate prisoner, who had led such a horrible life, to have - by God's grace and mercy - a good death and make his peace with God. Anxious to gain the criminal's confidence, the chaplain told him of several adventures he himself had gone through. He hoped to impress on the wicked man how real God is and how great His power and mercy is. The priest's last story was that of his recent escape in the Apennines.

The criminal showed the greatest interest in that story. When the priest has finished with the details, he exclaimed:

"I was the leader of that band! We thought that you had money and we determined to rob and murder you. An invisible force prevented each and all of us from firing, as we assuredly would have done had we been able. "

The chaplain then explained to the bandit of how they had placed themselves under the protection of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and that they owed their escape to these powerful Souls.

The bandit, having himself experienced the miracle, readily believed the priest. And it was this story, in fact, that helped touch his black soul and made it easier for him to convert. And later, when the time came for him to be executed for his many and terrible crimes, the criminal died full of repentance.