Investigation of Padre Pio

While Padre Pio was still living in the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo, in 1921, a bishop sent by the Vatican came to make a very "discreet" investigation. Rome wanted to judge Padre Pio's life and personality "on the spot". It is only 40 years after his death that the results of this inquiry are made public. Padre Pio is presented there in a simple and direct language, often the word is left to him...
An exceptional document, which tells for the first time in detail the extraordinary phenomena of his life.

On June 14, 1921, a priest knocks at the door of the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo. Raffaello Carlo Rossi, a future Cardinal and Apostolic Visitor sent by the Holy Office to secretly "investigate" Padre Pio. At that time, the religious with the stigma had made a vast reputation, but also remarkable detractors, and in the forefront were Fr. Agostino Gemelli and Mgr. Pasquale Gagliardi, who questioned his virtues. This is what set the Vatican in motion.
The bishop stayed eight days in the convent. He questioned the confreres of the Capuchin friars, the Provincial, the Superior, all the priests of the parish and finally P. Pio himself, to finally report their statements. He imposed on all of them, under oath, to tell the truth and to keep secret about this investigation.
More than forty years after the death of the saint (September 1968), this document is published today in its entirety, thanks to the research of Father Francesco Castelli.
"An exceptional document" is how Vittorio Messori, the famous Italian journalist, defined this work. In his preface, he invites readers to measure themselves against this text in order to evaluate its originality and beauty. Its qualities spring from the "simplicity of the language used" which presents Fr. Pio to us in an alert and fascinating way.
It is like a film that unfolds before our eyes, witnessing a week in the life of the Father. What his confreres cannot express, it is P. Pio himself who will tell it, with his hand on the Gospel, thanks to the 142 answers given to Bishop Rossi's questions, detailed answers about his supernatural gifts, his health, his tastes and his friendships.
Under oath, the Father admits the phenomenon of bilocation as well as other supernatural charisms granted to him by God. For the first time, Fr. Pio recounts his stigmatization in detail.
For his part, the investigating bishop writes an uncompromising but honest report, the fruit of extensive research in all areas.
An extraordinary document to get to know better this great saint of the 20th century.

Francesco Castelli is a priest and contributes as a historian to the Postulation for the cause of beatification of Pope John Paul II. He teaches modern and contemporary history of the Church at the Institute of Social and Religious Sciences "Romano Guardini" in Taranto. He is Director of the Historical Archives of the Diocese of Taranto and collaborates with several newspapers. He recently discovered and published the third letter addressed by Karol Wojtyla to Padre Pio.