A miracle called Padre Pio

“Health and wealth,” were among the things Bon Camores wished for through the intercession of Padre Pio or Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. Camores started lining up at the Ateneo Grade School Gymnasium as early as 1pm Sunday to get the chance to see, and even touch Padre Pio’s incorrupt heart relic, and hope for a miracle. After all, Padre Pio, who was born Francesco Forgione before he joined the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, was known for many miracles including the miracles of healing and conversion. While he looked like most of the devotees who were lining up for favors, he stood out from the rest as he was holding his three-week old baby. He said he went there because he wanted to ask for a very special favor.

Septuagenarian Diosdado Maloto (77 years old) came all the way from Makilala, Cotabato to wait for the arrival of Padre Pio at the Ateneo. He was at the venue as early as 8am to make sure he does not miss this once-in-a-lifetime event of seeing Padre Pio’s heart relic.

“Deboto ko ni Padre Pio ug ang akong kalipay nisangko sa atop (I am a devotee of Padre Pio and my happiness is over the roof),” he said. His wishes were good health for everyone and peace for the country.

Camores and Maloto have different personal circumstances and reasons for braving the throng which Fr. Ilde Dimaano, representative of the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio in Batangas and social communications director of the Archdiocese of Lipa, estimated at 50,000. But just like everyone else, they wanted to pay their respects to Padre Pio and maybe get the miracle they were hoping for.

Padre Pio became popular for exhibiting the stigmata, or wound-like bleeding marks much like the wounds of Jesus Christ. He had the stigmata for 50 years up to his death but no one could explain its cause and why the blood smelled like flowers or perfumes.

He also had a vision of having been pierced on his side which the religious call transverberation or “piercing of the heart.” Fr. Ilde called this an indication of Padre Pio’s union of love with God. Surprisingly, when Padre Pio was exhumed on March 3, 2008, 40 years after his death on, they saw his chest part already decayed but his heart showed signs of transverberation.

“The heart of Padre Pio is a national treasure of Italy and they try hard to protect it that it is never allowed to be out in public,” Fr. Ilde said. Davao and the Philippines is considered so blessed since it is only the fourth country to be visited by the heart relic following America, Argentina and Portugal.

Fr. Ilde believes that this occasion should inspire the Filipinos to change the nation’s social and political ills. The visit of the heart relic was chosen by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) as a good model for the Year of Clergy and Consecration. This is also the longest visit made by th

e heart relic since it usually just stays for four days but it will be in the Philippines for 20 days, from October 6 to 26.

The people who lined up to touch the relic heart of Padre Pio led busy lives. Others had obligations to fulfill. And yet, they left everything and braved the heat and the long queue, and armed with their handkerchiefs and faith, touched the glass-encased relic heart. Each one praying, and hoping that the miracles they hoped for would indeed come true.

For the skeptics, hoping for a miracle is just a waste of time. But as Fr. Ilde said, “miracles are only for believers.”(lovelycarillo)