Edgardo Mortara and his family were living in Bologna. His father, Momolo, was a shopkeeper. Marianna, his mother, had eight children. It was a loving household. A great place to be a kid.

When the police came to Edgardo's house on June 23, 1858, Edgardo and several of his siblings were asleep. The police had an order from the Inquisitor, Father Feletti, who also lived in Bologna at the Abbey of San Domenico. [Scroll down just a bit on this link - you will see the Inquisitor's Abbey on the right side of this picture map.] Dominicans had historically served as Inquisitors, although nearly every other European country had abolished the Inquisition by 1858.

The impact of the Inquisitor's order that June night was:

Take Edgardo from his parents and bring him to Rome. He has been baptized and is now a Christian. The law will no longer permit his parents to raise him.

Baptized? His parents were startled. When had Edgardo been baptized? By whom? Momolo demanded an answer. No answer was forthcoming that night. No answer was forthcoming for many nights.

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