Padre Pio Land - San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy

In December of 2009, my family gave me a memorable gift  to celebrate a milestone birthday - to visit Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, then to Rome.

As we were about to land in Bari, which is the closest airport to San Giovanni Rotondo, the view of the snow-covered mountain ranges confirmed the www.weather.com forecast: wintry cold weather conditions. My friend, Choy Arnaldo, describes Bari as "... it used to be a small town but very prosperous with lots of business from coal to diamonds. Today, it is an amazing industrial complex amidst traditional grapevines and rural peasantry! You can taste old Italy here!"

From Bari, we took a 1 1/2 hour cab ride and headed to Padre Pio land, San Giovanni Rotondo.

Our hotel - Hotel Gran Paradiso, was booked online. The location turned out so perfectly. As we crossed the street...

we walked straight onto this path, from the lower street level,

 to get to the Basilica di S. Padre Pio.

The basilica was designed by the world-renowned Italian architect, Renzo Piano. 

This modern architecture garnered much critical publicity at the initial stages, for looking more like a stadium rather than a house for pilgrims. Note that the roof is patterned after a snail shell.

In the exterior setting is an open space - with an outdoor altar for use on big occasions,  designed to hold more pilgrims on big feasts and other celebrations, as the screen doors (next to the outdoor altar on the left) open, connecting it to the interior church space.

Water element in the landscape

This reminded me of the Jordan River - the cleansing waters of of Jesus' Baptism as he was baptized there; and the set of olive trees was symbolic of the Garden of Olives, where Jesus prayed for the mission he was to carry out for the forgiveness of our sins and the redemption of our souls.

This is the interior shot of the screen (next to the indoor altar) that opens the church to the outdoor space.

From behind the altar is the center point from which the arch-support structures for the whole building emanates...

supplemented by smaller arches in between the main support arches, that aid in carrying the load of the ceiling.

In the lower level of the basilica is this chapel.

Today, I reminisced about my trip to San Giovanni Rotondo as we celebrated the feast of Saint Pio (Padre Pio of Pietrelcina). His parents were peasant farmers - Grazio and Giuseppa Forgione. When he was born (May 25, 1887), he was christened "Francesco," in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. Even in his youthful days, he was very devout and was specially drawn to the priesthood. He became a Capuchin novice at sixteen years old and became a priest after he studied for seven years, in 1910, and became Padre Pio. 

The new basilica is situated next to the old Chiesa de Santa Maria delle Grazie (1969), where his body lies in state.

This is the old church where Padre Pio served, which remains as a church, today. It also houses the museum where the memorabilia of Padre Pio details his life and works as a priest and a miracle worker. Padre Pio is a canonized saint in the Roman Catholic Church.

It was in September, 1918, that he had received the stigmata - the signs of the crucifixion of Christ Jesus in the form of wounds in the same spots Jesus' body was nailed to the cross,  while praying before a large crucifix. He was the first priest to receive the stigmata. By the time of his death in 1968, there were no visible signs of his wounds on his hands and on his feet, not even scars. He was heard to have said, fifty years before, that his wounds were going to heal before his death.

In this room, all the shelves are cramped with letters of thanks from people who had received healing through the intercession of Padre Pio, while he was still alive.

There were other mystical details about Padre Pio's life. There are witnesses who claim that he had bilocated and visited them while they were praying, as they asked him to intercede for them. He came, on several occasions, to visit people in different parts of the world to let them know that their prayers were being heard. 

In the lower level, a special place has been organized for pilgrims to be able to pay homage and pray for his intercession for whatever petitions they carried in their hearts. 

Here is where he lies in state, in a glass coffin,...

protected by an ornate metal covering. The glass coffin is exposed for public viewing at special times of the year.

Because of inclement weather, we missed the chance to climb the hundreds of steps in this structure across the street from the old Chiesa di Padre Pio, as it was closed to the public. This is the outdoor setting where pilgrims pray and follow the Way of the Cross.

One other prominent structure - next to the outdoor Way of the Cross, is the hospital (white, big structure) Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (Home for the Relief of Suffering)  built under the supervision of Padre Pio in 1940 and opened in 1956.

Padre Pio, who was originally from Pietrelcina, was sent to the remote town of San Giovanni Rotondo when he received the stigmata.  But soon, this town became a destination for many who wanted to see him, hear him, and meet him. Many healings and other miracles were attributed to his intercession, and the word got around. One of his visitors was Cardinal Karol Wojtyla - who was the cardinal of Krakow, Poland, at the time. Padre Pio told him that he was going to become pope, one day. And he did, as Pope John Paul ll. 

He was a "reader of souls." Sometimes, the people who went to him to make their confessions were reminded about their sins, which they had failed to confess. People also went to him to seek counsel about their daily and spiritual lives. Not only was he devoted to the people he helped, but also to the souls in purgatory who were in need of prayers and masses to be said for them. He had lead the life of a servant leader. Here is a movie link about the man called Padre Pio.

It was on September 23, 1968 that Padre Pio breathed his last. Thousands and thousands came to mourn his passing and to pay their last respects. 

At this time of the year, a great number of pilgrims go to San Giovanni Rotonda to commemorate his death anniversary. It's a pleasant time to go to this sacred destination. While the weather is mild, it gets to be crowded. In the winter time, it's cold and freezing, but you have the place all to yourself.  Whether you "meet" him in the spring, summer, fall or winter, allow yourself to get to know and to be inspired by him. He is a good example of what a man of God is.

We found time to explore and walk around the town, to find and have lunch at Trattoria la Sosta - a restaurant known for their Italian country cooking.

As we walked, we also got to see others parts of the city, while the weather was changing rapidly.

On our 3rd day, our last day, we were up early. We took pictures of the view from our hotel room. Here is a housing subdivision.

The presence of a crane tells of continuing development in the area.

After breakfast, we were back on the road again. As we drove through the country side, we took a last look at San Giovanni Rotondo. As planned, we were going to make 3 stops before heading to the airport. The drive out of San Giovanni Rotondo was about an hour to our first stop. We opted for an early, light lunch at Osteria Antica Piazzetta.

Back on the road, we looked forward to our next visit - the Church of St. Michel Archangel. By this time, the weather had turned to snowy-stormy weather. We'll continue the pilgrimage in my next post. Until then, let's pray for one another.

In the South of France: Sanctuaire de Notre Dame de Laghet

Somewhere in the south of France (Alpes Maritimes) is a place that was once the most visited pilgrimage site before Lourdes. There is an Italian baroque-style church that dates back to 1656, in La Trinite. It is only minutes away from Eze, Villefranche and La Turbie.

This church is known as the Sanctuaire de Notre Dame de Laghet. "Laghet" means a small waterhole, from the word " aiguet." It is a hamlet in the region of La Trinite. The existence of this village was first mentioned in a historical chart in the 11th century. In the 12th century, Laghet was a property of the fief of Eze. In medieval feudalism, the fief was inheritable land or revenue producing land that was "granted by a lord to a vassal" for his loyal services. 

There was a little chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary which became a pilgrimage site in the 15th century. Located in the middle of nowhere and constantly subjected to harsh elements, it fell into ruins. Eventually, the villagers moved out and only the shepherds who were left brought their flock there.

In 1628, Fr. Jacques Fighiera found the old chapel and decided to honor God and the Virgin Mary by fixing up the chapel and getting it back in shape at his own expense. With him as the pastor, he invited the population  from neighboring towns to come. The people from Villefranche, who used to come to this chapel, were encouraged to be prayerful by Fr. Fighiera. Soon, they were reporting miraculous answers to their prayers. As the news spread, people from the corners of Provence and Liguria began to come.

In 1674 a convent was built by a community of Discalced Carmelites from Turin. They remained there up to 1903. The Sanctuary of Laghet was bought in 1907 by a certain Canon Dalberra.  

In 1930, it was transformed into a spiritual house - offering retreats to the faithful. Beginning in 1978, the Benedictines of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre have been providing for the spiritual needs and the hospitality for the pilgrims.

This is the present church that replaced the old chapel in the 17th century.

It is nestled in the forest in La Trinité, a town in the Alpes-Maritimes, Provence region in southeastern France. La Trinite used to be a part of the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardenia.  Being a part of Italy then, the Dukes of Savoy used to come here  from 1666 -1849, on  pilgrimages. La Trinite became French in 1860. 

This Baroque-style church, with faux finishes, is still visited by pilgrims from all over the world.

This miraculous statue of the Virgin is made of polychrome wood dating back to 1625. She has been called the Virgin of Wonders, and more popularly known now as Our lady of Laghet. Part of her wardrobe pieces were made by the Dukes of Savoy. This image has miraculously appeared in the rooms of the sick, in accident locations, and in the dreams of people who were praying for her intercession.

The old statue of the Virgin showed the ravages of time. Fr. Fighiera, who owned  another statue that was placed in a church in Eze, decided to donate his statue to the church in Laghet. In a procession, on June 24 1652, the White Penitents of Eze carried the statue from the church of Eze to the chapel in Laghet. It became known as Our Lady of Laghet. Every year, this event renews this devotion to our Lady, reenacting the procession of Our Lady from Eze to Laghet.

It's a little church. Attending mass here is a heavenly experience. The Benedictine nuns lead the singing at mass, with their sweet cherubic voices. On Sundays, masses - in the spring and summer seasons - are held under a tent, to accomodate the larger number of attendees.

These ex-votos - "a painting or other artwork, usually nonprofessional, placed in a church as a token of thanks for blessings" depict the miracles.

With the many reported miracles, an investigation was undertaken to determine their veracity, by a commission of theologians with the assistance of a lawyer and a doctor. At this time, the statue was covered and the chapel was closed.  On December 20, 1653, The Bishop of Nice - Monsigñor de Palletis, confirmed the authenticity of the miracles. On April 25, 1654, the Bishop led the first official pilgrimage to Laghet.

In this picture on the left - a water color drawing/painting - a man who fell off from a train was saved by our Lady of Laghet. In the picture to the right, the boy thanked the Virgin for healing his wounds from a firecracker accident.

More of the testimonial artworks on the foyer - the ex-votos are considered historial monuments. 

In the basement is a grotto and more ex-votos are hanging on the wall, as well as the crutches from people who no longer needed them after they were miraculously healed.

On Good Friday, with weather permitting, the Way of the Cross is held in the middle of the forest, all the way to the lowest point and up around, and back to the church. 

La Trinite is situated between Nice and Monaco. Drop by for some prayer time when you go to the south of France. Miracles still happen, through the intercession of Our Lady.

A prayer in an old pamphlet published in 1753: "I am the mother of Mercy. Come to me you who weep and who are in pain. I will heal your wounds and I will dry your tears. Thanks, o Mary, thanks." 

Shrine of Our Lady of Laghet

La Trinidad Laghet 06340 France

Tel. : 04.92.41.50.50

www.sanctuaire-laghet.cef.fr

Pilgrimage to Poland: Divine Mercy Devotion

In my pilgrimage to Poland - In The Footsteps of Pope John Paul II - I had the occasion to learn more about the devotion to the Divine Mercy of Jesus. It was through a Polish saint -  Sister Faustina, who was canonized under the papacy of Pope John Paul II - that the world was given the message about Jesus' divine mercy for all of us.

What is Divine Mercy? We are called to acts of mercy through our actions, words, and prayers as we perform the corporal and spiritual Acts of Mercy. This is our response to God's merciful love.

The ACTS of MERCY:

CORPORAL Works: feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter the homeless; comfort the prisoners; visit the sick; bury the dead

SPIRITUAL Works: teach the ignorant; pray for the living & the dead; correct sinners; counsel those in doubt; console the sorrowful; bear wrongs patiently; forgive wrongs willingly

Jesus demands from us our deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of our love for Him. There are the three degrees of Mercy: first, by deed; second, by word; and third, by prayer. "In these three degrees are contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means, a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy." 

From our Pilgrim House in Lagiewniki, I could see 
the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy.

I spent a few minutes at the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, 
which is open 24/7.

From the outside, I zoomed in my lens to take a picture of the interior of the chapel. Picture-taking was not allowed inside.

The Sanctuary is next to the school (brick red building) 
for rehabilitating women.

This is the panoramic view of the city from the viewing tower.

This outdoor “Way of the Cross, ” which gets populated by pilgrims from all over the world, especially, on Divine Mercy Sunday,...

leads up to this cross on a higher elevation, where Pope John Paul II celebrated the Divine Mercy Mass, in one of his visits to Poland.

The main altar of the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy

On our second day, we heard mass at a chapel under the main altar of the Sanctuary, then, Sr. Gaudia gave us a talk on St. Faustina, who was chosen by our Lord to make known the “Devotion to the Divine Mercy.”

In many of the churches, there is a side chapel in honor of the Divine Mercy.

Sister Faustina, who was Helena Kowalska, was born on August 25, 1905, in the village of Glogowiec, in Lodz, Poland. Because she came from a very poor family, she went to work in at he age of 14, without completing elementary education. By the time she had turned 15, the call to a religious life was so strong that she informed her parents of her desire to enter the convent.

She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy on August 1, 1925, and went through her postulancy in Warsaw; later, she was sent to the novitiate house in Cracow. At her investiture, she was given the name Sister Mary Faustina. After her second year at the novitiate, she made her first profession of vows on April 30, 1928; next, as a professed sister, she was assigned work in the various houses of the Congregation: in Warsaw, in Vilnius, in Kiekrz near Poznan, in Plock, in Biala near Plock, in Warsaw and in Cracow. And. finally, on May 1, 1933, she took her perpetual vows.

Chapel of St. Faustyna 
(this is how her name is spelled in Polish)

The chapel's main altar

On the left of the altar is the stain glass featuring St. Faustina; on the main altar is a partial view of St. Francis looking up to heaven.

The convent St. Faustina had joined

She was in poor health, and after only a few weeks of convent life her health began to deteriorate. She was afflicted with tuberculosis and suffered violent asthmatic attacks. Her condition worsened, that in 1936, she spent the last years of her life in the hospital; and after having been brought back to the convent in Cracow, she died on October 5, 1938.

The CHAPLET of The Divine Mercy

St. Faustina received a vision of an angel sent by God to punish a certain city, in 1935. She began to pray for mercy but realized that her prayers were powerless. Suddenly, she saw a vision of the Holy Trinity and felt the power of Jesus’ grace within her. She began to plead with God for mercy, with words she heard interiorly:

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us. (Diary, 475)

The Divine Mercy Novene starts on Good and ends on the Saturday prior to the first Sunday after Easter. There is a different intention for each day as given by our Lord to St. Faustina. "I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw therefrom strength and refreshment and whatever grace they have in need of in the hardships of life and, especially, at the hour of death."

The specific, daily intentions are for all of mankind - especially, sinners; the souls of priests and religious; all devout and faithful souls; those who do not believe in God and those who do not yet know Jesus; the souls who have separated themselves from the Church; the meek and humble souls and the souls of little children; the souls who especially venerate and glorify His mercy; the souls detained in purgatory; and souls who have become lukewarm.

Please click on this link for the Divine Mercy Novena.

There are two conditions to receiving the extraordinary graces  for the forgiveness of sins and the remission of punishment  (Diary 699) from celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday, after completing the novena:
1. By making a good confession beforehand and remaining in the state of grace;
2. And, by receiving Holy Communion On Divine Mercy Sunday , or during the vigil celebration.

Talk about a nobody, uneducated, insignificant person by worldly standards, yet Sr. Faustina was chosen by our Lord to bring us His message of Divine Mercy. 

Jesus - King of Mercy, we trust in you.