Saint Padre Pio is the most popular, fascinating and extraordinary saint of our times. A simple friar, mystic and teacher, he is a living image of Christ’s suffering & Resurrection. He is believed to be God’s way of showing those who ‘must see in order to believe’, that His (God’s) Existence is real. In showing the secret of Mysticism, Padre Pio Said, “There is one thing I desire from you, above everything else – that your normal meditation be if possible, around the Life, Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
The Life of Padre Pio, a humble and pious Capuchin Priest, is considered to be blessed in mysterious ways. Even as a young boy, there seemed to be something different about him. While other children if his age were playing, Padre Pio spent much of his free time reading the gospel and praying.
Padre Pio is thought to be the first Catholic Priest to bear the Stigmata. The Stigmata are sacred wounds that appear on the body corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ on the hands, side and feet. St. Francis of Assisi was said to be the first recorded case of Stigmata.
Saint Padre Pio bore the five wounds of Jesus on his body for 50 years!! He had wounds on his hands, feet, left side of his chest and on the right shoulder where Jesus carried the cross. They didn’t worsen, nor did they heal. The blood from them was said to smell of perfume (the odour of holiness). He also had wounds from scourging which he experienced during consecration, and an invisible crown of thorns. He had transverberation, that is, a spiritual wounding of the heart – a reward from God for loving Him. All these wounds were very painful. Padre Pio never let anybody look at them except under Holy obedience. The Vatican repeatedly investigated him. Physicians were sent to examine his wounds; none doubted their authenticity.
Padre Pio had the gift of Healing, Bilocation (to be seen in two places at the same time), Levitation (to rise in ecstasy), also the gift of prophecy, miracles, the ability to read hearts, conversions, discernment of spirits and the faculty of perceiving things or events in the future. This Italian monk is said to have wrestled with the Devil. He bore the attacks of Satan on his body. Truly, he embraced suffering, this faithful disciple of Jesus. He said, that if we only had the rewards of sufferings we would reject the lures of this world and embrace suffering.
Saint Padre Pio was devoted to the Rosary meditations. The Rosary never left his hand. He compared weekly confession to dusting a room weekly. He recommended self – examination twice daily. Once in the morning as preparation to face the day, and again in the evening. His five Rules for spiritual growth were – Weekly confession, Daily communion, spiritual Reading, Meditation and Examination of Conscience. He directed Christians to recognise God in all things and to desire above all, to do the will of God.
The Church has always taught that every Christian is called to Holiness, yet very few know how to go about being Holy. Padre Pio is one of the few people who lived his life the way Jesus did in His lifetime. The Lord united Padre Pio in His Passion and Padre Pio shared in the Passion of Christ with special intensity. He said, “Yes, I love the Cross, the Cross alone; I love it because I see it always on Jesus’ shoulder”.
Padre Pio is a Saint of our times:-
- Born on 25th May 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy.
- On 6th January 1903, at the age of 15, he joined the Capuchin friars.
- In August 1910, ordained a priest.
- On 20th September 1918 the 5 wounds of our Lord’s Passion appeared on his body.
- On 2nd May 1999, Pope John Paul II declared him “Blessed”.
- On 16th June 2002 Pope John Paul II declared Padre Pio “Saint”.
- On 23rd September 1968 he died around 2.30am. Examing Padre Pio’s body the Doctor observed that the wounds of the stigmata were completely healed without any trace or scar.
Much more can be written about Saint Padre Pio. I close with his words, “Let Him (Jesus) do with you as He pleases. Give complete freedom to the free working of the Holy Spirit, and make every effort to practice Christian Values – above all, Holy Humility and Christian Charity.
Jesus, the man of Sorrows, wants all Christians to imitate Him. May our lives and our hearts be consecrated to Jesus and His sufferings.
J. Rodrigues