During the 20th century, Padre Pio was one of the most famous and popular Catholic monks. He died in 1968 and was made a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002. He was recently declared the Patron Saint of New Year Blues.
Pio was particularly famous for the supernatural phenomena associated with him. In particular, stigmata were said to have mysteriously appeared on his hands and feet. But
a new book argues that Pio faked his stigmata:
a book called Padre Pio and the Italy of the 19th Century, by historian Sergio Luzzatto says the wounds were self-created using carbolic acid and he claims to have found documentary evidence to prove it in the Vatican's secret archives.
According to
Wikipedia, this is hardly the first time charges of fakery have been leveled against Pio:
His accusers included high-ranking archbishops, bishops, theologians and physicians.
They brought several accusations against him, including insanity, immoral attitude towards women - claims that he had intercourse with women in the confessional (However, the same priest who accused Pio of these sexual acts later recanted his story and repented on his death bed.), misuse of funds and deception - claims that the stigmata were induced with acid in order to gain fame—and that the reported odor of sanctity around him being the result of self-administered eau-de-cologne.
The founder of Rome's Catholic university hospital concluded Padre Pio was "an ignorant and self-mutilating psychopath who exploited people's credulity." In short, he was accused of infractions against all three of his monastic vows: poverty, chastity and obedience.
In 1923, he was forbidden to teach teenage boys in the school attached to the monastery because he was considered "a noxious Socrates, capable of perverting the fragile lives and souls of boys."
Comments
first, of just because some of the christian commenters here get fired up about this topic don't suppose they are wrong because of this. Disregard the commenters emotion, we are humans we have emotions, so what? so even mentioning that it there is a broad difference in emotions is pointless. name calling means nothing to both the commented and the commenter on who is right.
To the people who think the wounds are suppose to be in the wrist because physics says so ill provide a rebuttal as to why they can be in the palm and it all has to do with they way the romans crucified. I saw a history channel show about this specifically, i cant remember the name. the experts DID calculate that the hand would rip open if the hand and feet were nailed to a cross. However there are multiple ways to crucify. The nails can go directly through the palm if ropes were tied around the arms and if a small ledge was added to cross. This means the wounds may be in the correct place. The nail and rope combo is very plausible. the rope held up the crucified and the nail added pain (the Romans were very entertained by seeing pain as a form of punishment, hence, the purpose of the Colosseum and gladiator arenas at times. So a nail added dramatic effect and made the punishment more severe). If your argument is that they were self inflicted because they were in the wrong place, it is not the way to go about disproving this miracle.
Think about it. Saint Pio was and is the real deal, and that is why we all love him.
J. P. ( Toronto, Canada ).
Saint Pio is definitely no hoax.
For this historian Lugatto and the rest of the mob out there... Father Pio made very important statements in his lifetime... Forgiveness even when one was persecuted.
This is important... there many historians and experts etc etc etc .. blah blah blah.. etc etc...
However, there is so much evidence about Padre Pio and his miracles and prayers for all.
To those who doubt.... wait till you reach your death bed... and ask for forgiveness..
Alleluia Christ is Risen... Peace to All Men.
the stigmata in San Pio appears as a real reason that God is telling you what the scientists cannot define.
Science cannot define God or Life, however, God and Life can define science.... so all the scientific clowns out there have to think seriously what is Faith and Belief.....
would they trust flying up in an airplane that it is hanging in the hands of a man piloting it and not really the engineering marvel... Also wouldn't the pilot himself rely 100 percent in faith that the aircraft's engineering would respond to his controlling the plane.... believing that the engineers who built the aircraft could be trusted to keep the aircraft safe in the air.
How did they come to such beliefs and confidence so as to pilot an aircraft....
Is it faith in the engine... or the life that created the engine and the rest of the airplane? !
Back on Padre Pio... there have been many signs... simple.... but people want sophistication to believe in it....
God bless you non-believers and atheists.