Plan to exhume Italian saint draws protest

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ROME (Reuters) - A plan to exhume the remains of Italy’s favorite saint to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his death has sparked a protest by followers who threaten to go to court to make sure he rests in peace.

The exhumation would give millions of Italians another chance to pay tribute to Padre Pio, a 20th century mystic monk said to have suffered from stigmata – bleeding wounds in the hands and feet similar to those of Christ.

news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080107/lf_nm_life/italy_saint_dc

Why would this be done? It make one think if money is being thought about.
 
I’d like to know more about what magazine reportedly found that more Italians were praying to Padre Pio than either Jesus or Mary. I find that hard to believe. On the day of his canonization, perhaps… ???
 
I don’t see why his body would unnecessarily be exhumed, unless, as suggested by a pp, money is involved especially for the tourism industry. It seems strange to me to disturb the dead unnecessarily.
 
The exhumation is a part of the canonization process. It is my understanding that this was already done. And when the 3 ton seal was removed, and the coffin opened, the only things inside were his robe, his belt, and his sandals.

It is also said that only JPII had any 1st class relics of this saint.

A story that followed was this: A priest friend related how he had asked St Pio how he could hear so many confessions… “they come by thousands to see you…”

St Pio is said to have responded: " That is nothing, when I am gone they will come in the millions, and I will not be here."

True or not… I do not know.
 
MrS, what you say about his body being absent during the canonization process sounds odd since the archbishop says part of the reason for exhuming the body now is for “proper preservation of those remains.” Do you have a soure for that? I’d like to read more.

cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=55782
 
Saints are frequently exhumed, as already mentioned. This has nothing to do with money.

How else do you think we found out about the incorruptibles?
 
My understanding is that his body is being exhumed for veneration purposes and it will be moved to a new church nearby to accommodate the millions of pilgrims who are expected to visit on this fortieth anniversary of his death. The Church also wants to see the state of the body at this point in time and find ways to preserve it further for the generation of pilgrims to come. Apparently his body has not yet been exhumed and given that he’s resting in a sealed granite tomb, it’s unclear just yet what state the body is in. My question is this: What if his remains are largely decomposed as would be expected for the average human being forty years after their death? Would this cast some doubt as to the authenticity of his special holiness as a saint given that other scandalous reports have recently resurfaced charging St. Pio with fraudulent means (acid) of attaining the stigmata? I’d like to hear what others’ think about this. Thanks.
 
As I recall, when Lincoln died, Mrs Lincoln was told, Now he belongs to the ages. I think that saints in someway now belong to the Church rather than their families.
 
Riley259 said:
My understanding is that his body is being exhumed for veneration purposes and it will be moved to a new church nearby to accommodate the millions of pilgrims who are expected to visit on this fortieth anniversary of his death. The Church also wants to see the state of the body at this point in time and find ways to preserve it further for the generation of pilgrims to come. Apparently his body has not yet been exhumed and given that he’s resting in a sealed granite tomb, it’s unclear just yet what state the body is in. My question is this: What if his remains are largely decomposed as would be expected for the average human being forty years after their death? Would this cast some doubt as to the authenticity of his special holiness as a saint given that other scandalous reports have recently resurfaced charging St. Pio with fraudulent means (acid) of attaining the stigmata? I’d like to hear what others’ think about this. Thanks.
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It’s my undestanding that an incorruptable body is not a prerequisite for sainthood. Only a relative few saints are reported to have been incorrupt, certainly not all, nor even most.
 
Corruption of the body would cast a shadow of doubt on Padre Pio, particularly with the acid rumors. I can only pray his body is indeed incorruptible, so that these rumors can be put to rest.
 
nobeerinheaven said:
Corruption of the body would cast a shadow of doubt on Padre Pio, particularly with the acid rumors. I can only pray his body is indeed incorruptible, so that these rumors can be put to rest.
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Hmmm, it might cast doubt in the eyes of detractors, but it certainly wouldn’t change the infallible canonization that was proclaimed by the Church.
 
nobeerinheaven said:
Corruption of the body would cast a shadow of doubt on Padre Pio, particularly with the acid rumors. I can only pray his body is indeed incorruptible, so that these rumors can be put to rest.
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As the old saying goes, to a believer, no miracle is necessary. To a non-believer, no miracle is sufficient.
If his body is corrupted, the media might have a frenzy and push the other article (rightly called “hogwash” by another user) over a normal process of bodily decomposition. Yet, as said, Holy Mother Church has already recognized the evidence of Saint Pio’s saintly-ness. All the mud the media might bring up will be saddening, yet I’m sure the good Padre will be praying their conversion in Heaven.

If his body is infact incorrupted, I don’t think they will give wide coverage. They might think they will have more readers by trying to dim the glorious light of Christ given by a Saint, then to recognize only another telling sign of his already known Sainthood.
 
I would like to make a few observations about some of the posts. First, St. Padre Pio is very special to me. I have been to San Gioviani Rotondo several times and have been privileged to speak to several of his contemporaries. I can assure you from personal knowledge that Pope John Paul II was not the only one to have a first class relic of Padre Pio. Further, incorruptibility is not a prerequisite for canonization. While I hope that his body is incorrupt, it would not change my devotion to him one iota if it were not As another member of this forum quoted on another thread, “thats managements decision. I’m in sales”. Padre Pio truly was a remarkable and holy man. We are indeed blessed for having had one like him in our times. St Padre Pio, Pray for Us!
Deacon Ed B
 
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