Today, March 19, we celebrate the Liturgical Feast of Blessed Marcel Callo, one of the Patrons of World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2023, a young man who was passionate about helping others. To get to know him better, we have listed 10 curiosities:

1. Marcel Callo was born on December 6, 1921 in Rennes, France. He was the second of eight children in a deeply Christian family.

2. From an early age he showed great dedication to others, taking care of his younger siblings. Later, in scouting activities, he would be recognized as a true leader and perfectionist.

3. He was a very good student. At the age of eight he joined the Croisade Eucharistia (a movement that aims to provide a true encounter with Jesus) by helping at the Eucharist every morning.

4. Due to his family's low income he started working in a printing press, there his faith was tested, but he always remained faithful to God.

5. At the age of 12, on June 8, 1934, he made his promise as a boy scout. There, thanks to his character and his way of leading, he became an example of a leader in scouting.

6. Later, he joined the Young Catholic Workers (YCW) with the intention of being an apostle of Jesus in the working world.

7. At the age of 22 he was recruited for forced labor in Zella-Mehlis, Germany. There he went as a missionary determined to continue his apostolate in this difficult situation.

8. To encourage his deported friends, he organized a group of Christian workers to play sports, cards and theater, actions that soon attracted the attention of the Nazi secret police (Gestapo), which led to his arrest on April 19, 1944 for allegedly being "too Catholic".

9. Shortly afterwards he was transferred to the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp (Austria), where he continued to encourage his fellow prisoners, affirming that "it is in prayer that we find our strength". The intense work eventually aggravated his fragile state of health, which led to his death on March 19, 1945, at the age of 24.

10. Marcel Callo's spirituality and life were always present in his commitment as a Scout: "On my honor and with the grace of God, I promise to serve God, the Church and the country, to help my neighbor in all circumstances, to observe the law of listening".