A Nigerian man, John Ogah, dubbed Italy’s “migrant hero”, has been baptised by Pope Francis during an Easter service at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Ogah was begging for change outside a supermarket in a Rome neighbourhood where many migrants live last September when he stopped a 37-year-old Italian who had just held up the store with a cleaver and was getting away with about 400 euros, according to the Catholic television station TV2000.
The Nigerian, who did not have permission to stay in Italy, held the man down until police arrived and then left the scene, fearing it would be discovered he did not have documents.
Police using footage from surveillance cameras tracked him down and rewarded him by helping him get a residency permit.
As the Pope baptised him, an Italian police captain stood by his side as his godfather.
