Devotees of Padre Pio share miraculous stories

Thousands flocked to the Manila Cathedral and the University of Sto. Tomas earlier this week to visit the first class relic of Padre Pio, which has since toured the rest of Luzon and is now in Cebu.

Armed with handkerchiefs, devotees fervently wiped the glass enclosure in which his incorruptible heart was placed as they said their prayers.

Others braved the crowd to give thanks to the Italian saint who was said to have stigmata and who had the power to heal while he was still alive.

The same festive situation happened in Cebu, where devotee Richard Saing shared with “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” the many miracles Padre Pio performed for him.

Richard is the president of San Pio Conventional Community. He has two relics of Padre Pio given by a friend who visited San Giovanni, Italy: a lock of hair, which is classified as first class relic, and a stampita which is classified as third class. 

Richard recounted how one day in 2005 his wife suffered a stroke. In the taxi to the hospital, Richard kept praying over his wife as he wiped the stampita on her.

When they got to the hospital, “Okay na misis ko, wala nang senyales na na-stroke at pinauwi na kami.”

Curious, right?

The devotee has a laminated photo of the saint which he says turns oily for no apparent reason. It was this photo that he wiped on his friend, who was about to have a heart surgery.

After three days, the doctors advised Richard’s friend that the surgery wouldn’t be needed. “Doon ko talaga na-realize how powerful Padre Pio is. Nagmimilagro talaga siya sa may sakit,” Richard said.

And then there’s Susana who has been praying to Padre Pio for her son who’s a drug dependent. Susana shared that after some time praying for his child, she witnessed how he got better.

Jenny, meanwhile, was a skeptic who became a believer when, after praying to Padre Pio, saw her child get cured of dengue.

“May blood transfusions, akala ko mawawala na sa akin anak ko pero nag-pray lang ako kay Padre Pio and na-grant niya prayers ko,” said Jenny.

Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968. Forty years later, while exhuming his body, authorities were surprised Padre Pio’s remains were incorrupted. — LA, GMA News