I wrote a post yesterday about Bishop Franjo Komarica from Bosnia who recruited me to help create a Peace and Reconciliation Summit in Bosnia in 2013.

Turns out this wasn’t the Bishop’s first rodeo.

During the Bosnia Herzegovina war from 1992 – 1995, Bishop Komarica wasn’t only a vocal proponent of peace, he was a man of unparalleled courage.

During that horrible war which killed over 100,000 people, displaced 2.2 million people and saw up to 50,000 women raped, the Bishop devised a daring underground railroad that’s credited with saving the lives of tens of thousands Catholic, Muslim, Orthodox and Jewish (groups that were fighting each other) women and children by finding hiding places for them throughout the region before sneaking them out of the country.

Not everyone supported his efforts.

At the height of the war, the Bishop was captured by Muslim soldiers, was tried in a mock trial, and sentenced to death.

In the weeks leading up to his pending execution by firing squad, the Bishop was regularly interrogated by a Muslim General who was seeking information on individuals who supported the Bishop in his secret railroad.

The Bishop never broke.

Those familiar with the story note that the Bishop repeatedly told the General he didn’t fear death, but that in executing him, the General indeed was condemning hundreds if not thousands of Muslim women and children who wouldn’t escape the war and instead would be caught up in it, become victims of it, or who would perish as a consequence.

The General seemed unimpressed.

So, on the day of his execution, Bishop Komarica was taken from his cell, walked to the courtyard where a black bag was lowered over his head. The executioners took up their positions. And the order was given to the firing squad: “Ready, aim…”

“Stop.”

The General ordered the shooters to lower their weapons.

He then ordered Bishop Komarica released.

The railroad once more began to secretly usher women and children to safety.

For his heroic efforts, in 2004, Bishop Komarica was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.