When firefighters pulled a silver crucifix from the ashes of Bruno Serato’s burned out California restaurant, he took it as a sign from god: though he lost so much, he needed to keep faith in the lord and keep going.
Since that day, one of Anaheim’s most beloved Italian imports has opened the doors to a new location, as well as the doors of his heart, feeding the city’s wealthy during the evening so he can feed the city’s poor during the day.
“I was like, ‘No way!'” Serato told CBS News, remembering the moment the firefighter handed him the crucifix—a gift from Pope Francis, whom he met four times. “This is a sign, a sign of god for sure, no doubt about it.”
On the last occasion that he met the pontiff, Francis, looking at a small book of Serato’s work, told him “Bravo, bravo, continua cosi,” which means “continue like this.”
Serato said he took that as both command and confirmation, and that he’s doing more than he’s ever done in his whole career to help those in need: a fitting tribute to Francis, who took the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, famous for helping the poor.
“I have to keep doing what I’m doing, if I don’t he come down!”
Photo: Lisa Maree Williams / Getty Images News / Getty Images