Close encounters of a special kind of Padre Pio with the Virgin Mary. The Rosary.
Padre Pio had an astonishingly unconditional, total, perennial, unwavering love for the Virgin Mary.
Painting of Madonna of Graces on the altar of the small original church
Old church
Padre Pio celebrating Mass in the original church
The same original church
Mosaic of Madonna of Graces on the wall of the apse of the new church
Padre Pio would call her in many different ways. Some of them:
Maria, Madonna, Mamma, Mammina, Madre, Madonnina, Madonnella,Signora, Vergine Maria, Madre Maria, Diletta Madre, Tenera Madre, Madre mia cara, Celeste Madre,
Madre di Misericordia, Bianca Signora, Maria Santissima, Mamma mia, Madre Immacolata, Santissima Vergine, Cara Madre,
Mamma dolcissima, Madonna Mia, Mamma nostra, Dolce Signora, Vergine Santa, Madonna delle Grazie.
Padre Pio and the Madonna of Fatima
Father Tarcisio Zullo asked Padre Pio: 'Father, is the Madonna at this moment in this room?'
Padre Pio's answer: "Wrong formulation. You should have asker 'Did the Madonna ever leave this room?' "
One evening Dr. Kisvarday was talking to Padre Pio in his cell when the light went off. He got up to get a candle.
"Were are you going? There is so much light. We don't need a candle. Don't you see the Madonna lighting up the cell?"
Dr. Kisvarday: "I didn't see the Madonna, I saw only pitch dark."
To Padre Onorato going to Lourdes. "I have been to Lourdes many times.
You don't need a car or a train, there are other means too."
To Padre Eusebio Notte: "Our Lady comes to me whenever I need Her."
Padre Pio used to tell a story: "One day Our Lord making rounds of Paradise saw some strange faces.
He asked Peter: Who let these people in? Peter: 'There is nothing I can do.'
The Lord: 'But you have the key.' Peter: 'There is nothing I can do, and you can't do either.'
The Lord: 'What do you mean?' 'It's your mother. She has another key. She let's them in.'
On the cell #5 (Padre Pio's cell) "Mary is the whole reason of my hope." (St. Bernard.)
"The Madonna is the shortcut to get to God."
"Love the Madonna, and make people to love her."
"abandon yourself in the hands of Mary. She will take care of you."
A person asked Padre Pio to be healed. "Let's pray the Madonna of Graces. She will heal you."
After: "Mary healed you, not me."
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Padre Pio kissing a replica of the statue of Madonna of Fatima
Padre Pio and Madonna of Fatima.
Padre Pio kissing the original statue of the Madonna of Fatima.
On April 24,1959, the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima visited Italy, starting from Naples. The same day Padre Pio became very ill.
He had bronchopneumonia ad couldn't celebrate Mass.
On August 1st Padre Pio was admitted inpatient at Casa Sollievo. The illness continued.
On August 5, the Statue of Fatima came to the Convent. On August 6 the Statue was just leaving in helicopter.
Padre Pio from the hospital: "Madonna, my Mother, I have been sick since you came to Italy; and now you are leaving, and leaving me sick."
Padre Pio reported: "I felt a chill in the bones." Than: "I'm feeling well." "I am healed! Our Lady has healed me!"
Later he said: "The Madonna came here, to heal Padre Pio."
On August 10 Padre Pio resumed celebrating Mass, and the 21th he resumed the confessions.
Padre Pio and the Madonna of Graces.
After Padre Pio was proclaimed saint, his image was added to the mosaic in the apse.
Rosary
Padre Pio with his rosary
Padre Pio used to carry permanently a Rosary in his hands and would pray it many times a day.
To father Onorato Marcucci, grabbing the Rosary that he had put few seconds on the nightstand: "With this, one wins the battles."
Father Marcellino testified that he had to help Padre Pio wash his hands one at a time
"because he didn't want to leave the rosary beads, and passed the Rosary from one hand to the other."
To Lucia Merlinda: "After the Glory, say: Jesus, I love you, and I repent for offending You."
About the repetitiveness of the Rosary: "Pay attention to the mysteries. They change at every decade."
To Enedina Mori: "When you get tired reciting the Rosary, rest a bit, and then restart again."
February 6, 1954 9:00 PM, to father Carmelo: "I still have 2 rosaries to pray today. I said only 34 so far. Then I will go to bed."
Answering to father Michelangelo: "Today I said 32 or 33 rosaries. Maybe 1 or 2 more."
Answering to father Mariano: "About 30. Maybe some more, but not less."
'How do you do it? "What is the night for?"
Answering a question: "Some days I say 40 Rosaries, some other days 50."
How do I do it? "How do you manage not so say any?"
To Lucia Pennelli one morning around 7:00 AM after Mass: "How many rosaries did you say so far today?" 'Two". "I already said seven."
To Lucietta Pennelli, one day at about noon: "Today I have already said 16 complete Rosaries."
Padre Pio goes on with his rosary while observing something.
"Pray the rosary frequently. It costs so little, and it's worth so much!"
"We can't live without the Rosary."
"Say the rosary, and pray it every day."
"The Rosary is the weapon of defense and salvation."
"The Rosary is the weapon given us by Mary to use against the tricks of the infernal enemy."
'Mary has recommended the Rosary at Lourdes and Fatima because of it's exceptional value for us and our times."
"The rosary is the prayer of the Madonna, the one that triumphs on everything and everybody."
"Always recite the rosary and recite it as often as possible."
"Mary is present in every mystery of the rosary."
"Satan always tries to destroy the rosary, but he will never succeed."
"Mary has taught us the rosary just as Jesus taught us the Our Father".
Padre Pio checking his rosary bids while Padre Carmelo shows him a framed Crucifix.
Padre Pio going on with his rosary while conversing with Padre Ermelindo di Capua
Padre Pio keeps rolling his rosary absorbed in meditation.
Padre Pio in the hallway with Fra' Giovanni, rolling the rosary held in his left hand.
Padre Pio dealing with his rosary.
Padre Pio telling somebody what he is doing: praying the rosary.
Reading a note from a faithful was no excuse to let the rosary from his hand.
Padre Pio holding tight to his rosary while interacting.
Padre Pio in the hallway smiling to visitors and going on with his rosary.
Padre Pio sitting at his famous rattan chair and praying the rosary while looking at something.
Padre Pio rolling the beads of the rosary.
Close Encounters of the Special Kind with PADRE PIO: hallways, backyard; around the world, ecstasies; Purgatory, Guardian Angel, devil; Americans; confessional, baptisms, first Communions, weddings; Virgin Mary, Rosary; Wounds; Mass; himself, God, Jesus, Cross, Christmas, Church; spiritual children, meditation, prayer, Prayer Groups; child, novice, priest, soldier, fevers; first inquisition, Saint Mary of the Graces, Home for the Relief of Suffering (Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza); the most famous picture, children, blessings, at the ballots downtown, eating; second inquisition, last ten years, death; the Capuchin friars; entombed in first resting place, blessed, saint, exhumed, displayed, final resting place in golden crypt; mosaics of the life of Padre Pio, Jesus, Saint Francis of Assisi; fists class relics with certificates; original painting, original icon.