Chronicles the life of the priest and saint Padre Pio, particularly the Vatican's investigation of his stigmata in 1921 through documents recently released by the Catholic Church.

The first historical appraisal of the astonishing life and times of a controversial twentieth-century saint Padre Pio is one of the world's most beloved holy figures, more popular in Italy than the Virgin Mary and even Jesus. His tomb is the most visited Catholic shrine anywhere, drawing more devotees than Lourdes. His miraculous feats included the ability to fly and to be present in two places at once; an apparition of Padre Pio in midair prevented Allied warplanes from dropping bombs on his hometown. Most notable of all were his stigmata, which provoke heated controversy to this day. Were they truly God-given? A psychosomatic response to extreme devotion? Or, perhaps, the self-inflicted wounds of a charlatan? Now acclaimed historian Sergio Luzzatto offers a pioneering investigation of this remarkable man and his followers. Neither a worshipful hagiography nor a sensationalist exposé, Padre Pio is a nuanced examination of the persistence of mysticism in contemporary society and a striking analysis of the links between Catholicism and twentieth-century politics. Granted unprecedented access to the Vatican archives, Luzzatto has also unearthed a letter from Padre Pio himself in which the monk asks for a secret delivery of carbolic acid—a discovery which helps explain why two successive popes regarded Padre Pio as a fraud, until pressure from Pio-worshipping pilgrims forced the Vatican to change its views. A profoundly original tale of wounds and wonder, salvation and swindle, Padre Pio explores what it really means to be a saint in our time.

This is by far the best life of Padre Pio in print. It tells the amazing story of the obscure Italian priest who became famous all over the world, both for his stigmata and for his miracles and supernatural insights. #goodreads-widget { font-family: georgia, serif; padding: 18px 0; width:350px; } #goodreads-widget h1 { font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #BBB596; margin-bottom: 0; } #goodreads-widget a { text-decoration: none; color: ʔ } iframe{ background-color: #ffffff; } #goodreads-widget a: hover { text-decoration: underline; } #goodreads-widget a: active { color: ʔ } #gr_footer { width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid #BBB596; text-align: right; } #goodreads-widget .gr_branding{ color: #382110; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue," Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; } Goodreads reviews for Padre Pio Revised and Expanded: The True Story Reviews from Goodreads.com

"He who believes in miracles has already obtained one." A faith so powerful that he bore the stigmata. Prayer so intense that he appeared to believers all over the world. Padre Pio is one of the most intriguing and otherworldly saints of the twentieth century, but this biography has been out of print in English for more than forty years--until now. Padre Pio, written just a few years after his death, brings the saint's words and works to a new audience eager to learn of his mysticism and miracles.

If you've ever wished you could sit down and ask Saint Padre Pio, the famous stigmatist of the 20th century, some of the deepest questions of the human heart, now you can. With beautiful illustrations and topics ranging from simple queries about the role of angels to the cry of a soul seeking to understand the meaning of suffering, these meditations use the actual words of this sainted priest to answer your most intimate questions and reveal God's own messages of encouragement, exhortation, inspiration, and blessing. Padre Pio (1887-1968) was an internationally beloved Franciscan priest. From his home in Italy, he drew thousands of pilgrims who wished to obtain a blessing, experience healing, go to Confession, or be present at Mass celebrated by the sainted friar. He was canonized a saint on June 16, 2002.

A true treasure of spiritual insights, this little booklet contains the remarkable meditations on the Agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane by Blessed Padre Pio, the stigmatist priest. One of his few writings, the booklet also includes many pictures of Blessed Padre Pio from throughout his ministry. Padre Pio's beautiful and descriptive manner of writing provide a wonderful spiritual insight into that last night of Jesus' human life.

Preface by Vittorio Messori On June 14, 1921, a priest knocks at the convent in San Giovanni Rotondo. He is in his early forties and wears a simple cassock, but he is no ordinary priest. He is Bishop Raffaello Carlo Rossi, future cardinal and the Apostolic Visitor sent by the Holy Office to investigate secretly Padre Pio. The Bishop Inquisitor remains with the Capuchin Brothers for eight days, interrogating and recording depositions. He also interviews Padre Pio himself and examins the mysterious wounds of Christ that he bears on his body. After gathering all the evidence, the Inquisitor sketches his own evaluation of Padre Pio, which includes his reasons for believing that the stigmata are of divine origin. He sends his report and the depositions to Rome, where they stay buried for nearly a century. Now, forty years after the saint's death, these exceptional documents are published in their entirety, thanks to the skillful research of Father Francesco Castelli. The documents in this book reveal every aspect of Padre Pio's life from his amazing supernatural gifts to his health. In his depositions, he admits, under oath, to the phenomenon of bi-location and to other supernatural charisms, and for the first time tells the detailed story of his stigmatization. Also included are letters from his spiritual father and a chronology of his life. Illustrated with black and white photos.