Help Aleteia continue its mission by making a tax-deductible donation. In this way, Aleteia's future will be yours as well.
*Your donation is tax deductible!
Padre Pio, or Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, is well-known as one of the greatest saints of our era. Accounts of his life show the remarkable things that can happen when someone is so utterly dedicated to God. Many, many people met him — and were changed forever.
There’s no way of knowing the countless numbers of souls who came to God thanks to Padre Pio’s wise (and sometimes rather rough!) guidance. To many, he was a guide on the road to Heaven.
Discover this great saint, and receive his guidance by joining a retreat here.
Here below are three instances of how Padre Pio transformed the lives of those who met him.
He saved a general from suicide. After the Italian defeat at Caporetto during the First World War, one of the generals felt such despair that he decided to take his own life. Ordering a soldier to keep everyone out of his office, he was about to kill himself when a voice told him to stop that nonsense. Looking up, a monk was there. The general was completely shaken and changed his mind. When he went angrily to reprimand the guard, the soldier told him firmly that no one had gone in or out of the office. Many years later, the general met and recognized Padre Pio!
His rather “tough” confessions converted many. Padre Pio is most well-known for being a great confessor. He would sometimes spend as many as 15 hours a day hearing confessions. Some people were afraid to receive the Sacrament from him, because he was known to get very bad-tempered with those who did not really repent. Would-be penitents would sometimes leave, looking shocked and indignant. But Padre Pio was also very gentle with those who truly came to be reconciled to God. As he could read consciences, he would help penitents confess their sins when shame and regret impeded their speech. Even those whom he angered often realized their mistake and repented, returning to confession to be reconciled with God.
He visited a friend on his death bed, on the far side of the world! Padre Pio had befriended a bishop in Italy and made a promise that he would be at his side when the end of his life arrived. Many years later, on the other side of the world, in Uruguay, a friend came rushing to this bishop’s side as he was dying. The friend passed a Capuchin monk leaving the bedside, but took no notice. The dying bishop just whispered “Padre Pio.” Sure enough, the friend later went himself to Pietrelcina and recognized Padre Pio as the Capuchin monk who had been with the bishop just before him.
Padre Pio can help you too! His energy, gentleness, and wisdom to this day are an example to us all.
Learn more about what he would tell people to encourage them in their day-to-day prayer life by joining this prayer community here.
Embark on a spiritual journey with the good guidance of Saint Pio. He helped, healed, and accompanied people through life and death. You can pray to him for yourself and your loved ones. Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, pray for us!
This article is published in partnership with Hozana.
And today we celebrate...