 Lercaro died from a cardiac crisis in Bologna, ten days short of his 85th birthday.He was buried in the metropolitan cathedral of that city.His involvement in these student movements gave Lercaro a great interest in engaging Catholic theology with modern culture, and during the war he became one of the most prominent anti-Fascists within the Church, preaching steadfastly against Nazism and offering support in his home for those persecuted by Mussolini—most notably for Italian Jews whose persecution began as a result of Italy's collaboration with Nazi Germany.