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FORGIONE, Padre Pio
(Investigator Magazine 227, 2026 March)
The phenomenon of stigmata, or unaccountable bleeding from holes in the
hands, feet and side, is surely one of the more bizarre miraculous
events. About 300 cases have been recorded since St Francis of Assisi
displayed the wounds of Christ in the thirteenth century, and in modem
times one of the most celebrated is Padre Pio Forgione, a Capuchin
friar who spent most of his life in the Italian monastery of San
Giovanni Rotondo at Foggia.
Starting with a stinging sensation in his hands while meditating in 1915 he thought nothing of it, then while praying alone in the church at Foggia he cried out and fell unconscious. He was found by his brother monks bleeding profusely from the hands, feet and side, the identical wounds suffered by Christ on his crucifixion. The Provincial Superior who examined the wounds solemnly swore that he could see clearly through the holes in Padre Pio’s palms. Over the years doctors examined his stigmata many times but none could come up with a satisfactory explanation. Padre Pio's fame spread and he became to be regarded by many as a saint, pilgrims flocked by the thousands to his church and money in the form of donations flowed in. The money was a source of embarrassment for the monk as he had taken a vow of poverty, and it was used in 1956 to build a hospital which cost in excess of two million dollars. As well as being a stigmatic, Padre Pio was also credited with the power of healing and clairvoyance. He died on September 28, 1968. Comment: While it is conceded that sufficient faith in anything can possibly bring about a cure of a psychosomatic condition, there has never been any medical evidence to show that there is a direct link between prayer, faith or belief and a cure. There is a condition called psychogenic purpura. in which spontaneous bleeding can occur with no current physical trauma. It can be brought on by severe stress and occurs in people of “hysterical predisposition”. The cause therefore would appear to be a psychological manifestation rather than a supernatural one.
It is interesting to note that with all reported cases of stigmatism
the bleeding has always been from the palms of the hands (as in the
case of Padre Pio) despite the fact that recent experiments on cadavers
have shown that nails through the hands of a crucified body could not
support the weight. Stigmatics are now starting to bleed from the
wrists bringing themselves into line with scientific discovery!
Further reading: Cornwall, John. 1991. Powers of Darkness Powers of Light, Viking. Published by the Penguin Company. Publishing Ltd. London. Thurston, Herbert. 1952. The Physical Phenomena of Mysticism. Burns & Oates. ______________ 1955. Surprising Mystics. Burns & Oates. From: Edwards, H. 1994 Magic Minds Miraculous Moments, Harry Edwards Publications
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