As an atheist, it's easy to reject stories like those of Padre Pio as self-serving bullshit. And yet, millions believe it- some because they legitimately believe, some because their faith is that important to them, and some because...well, what's that other option? It all seems rather harmless.
In the case of Padre Pio, there's probably no downside in believing in his holiness. Sure, he almost certainly was a charlatan, a fraud, and a womanizer...but what harm, really, was done to Italy? Some folks need something to believe in, and if something like this gives them hope...well, there are worse things.
It's not like a bunch of ignorant rednecks elevated a reality-show gimcrack to a god-like cult status and then elected him President.
Stacey, I venerate some of the Christian saints. One of my favorite saints is Saint Francis. I prefer St. Francis to Padre Pio, in the Historical Saints of Italy category.
Yesterday was St. Francis' feast day. Two nights ago, I posted a joke meme about how the Patron Saint of copying people on email is St. Francis of A CC. I did not know it was the anniversary of his death in 1226. He died so late in the day that the Vatican chose to honor him on October 4th. On the timeline, I also posted my two favorite works of art depicting St. Francis, the one by Bellini at the Frick in NYC, and the Giotto at the Louvre of St. Francis receiving the stigmata.
The church could not ignore St. Francis' insistence that the poor and that animals deserved better from humans because of the stigmata. The church fathers in their satin and lace would have much preferred to declare him a heretic, but the stigmata were conclusive: he was a saint.
So I am not surprised if Padre Pio did indeed fake his stigmata. Carbolic acid is still painful, although not as painful as nails all the way through.
I love St. Francis so much that I went to Assisi on one of my trips to Italy when I was a young woman, partly to see the incredible Giottos there. I loved it there, and would like to return.
I don't think it was at all accidental that I had a post up about St. Francis as his feast day dawned. Call it a happy coincidence. In general, I venerate female saints more than male ones, with a few exceptions like St. Francis, St. Michael, and St. Expedite.
I suggest you look up the Giotto in the Louvre online. Giotto was born slightly more than six decades after St. Francis, which is almost contemporaneous compared to the centuries between St. Francis and us. His painting is glorious, and my favorite part: Jesus is shown with the Many Wings formation sometimes seen in older Christian icons of saints. Lines are drawn showing the stigmata flowing from Jesus in the sky with many wings down to St. Francis' hands and feet.
It kind of looks like Jesus is a kite........ and St. Francis is flying him.
As an atheist, it's easy to reject stories like those of Padre Pio as self-serving bullshit. And yet, millions believe it- some because they legitimately believe, some because their faith is that important to them, and some because...well, what's that other option? It all seems rather harmless.
In the case of Padre Pio, there's probably no downside in believing in his holiness. Sure, he almost certainly was a charlatan, a fraud, and a womanizer...but what harm, really, was done to Italy? Some folks need something to believe in, and if something like this gives them hope...well, there are worse things.
It's not like a bunch of ignorant rednecks elevated a reality-show gimcrack to a god-like cult status and then elected him President.
Stacey, I venerate some of the Christian saints. One of my favorite saints is Saint Francis. I prefer St. Francis to Padre Pio, in the Historical Saints of Italy category.
Yesterday was St. Francis' feast day. Two nights ago, I posted a joke meme about how the Patron Saint of copying people on email is St. Francis of A CC. I did not know it was the anniversary of his death in 1226. He died so late in the day that the Vatican chose to honor him on October 4th. On the timeline, I also posted my two favorite works of art depicting St. Francis, the one by Bellini at the Frick in NYC, and the Giotto at the Louvre of St. Francis receiving the stigmata.
The church could not ignore St. Francis' insistence that the poor and that animals deserved better from humans because of the stigmata. The church fathers in their satin and lace would have much preferred to declare him a heretic, but the stigmata were conclusive: he was a saint.
So I am not surprised if Padre Pio did indeed fake his stigmata. Carbolic acid is still painful, although not as painful as nails all the way through.
I love St. Francis so much that I went to Assisi on one of my trips to Italy when I was a young woman, partly to see the incredible Giottos there. I loved it there, and would like to return.
I don't think it was at all accidental that I had a post up about St. Francis as his feast day dawned. Call it a happy coincidence. In general, I venerate female saints more than male ones, with a few exceptions like St. Francis, St. Michael, and St. Expedite.
I suggest you look up the Giotto in the Louvre online. Giotto was born slightly more than six decades after St. Francis, which is almost contemporaneous compared to the centuries between St. Francis and us. His painting is glorious, and my favorite part: Jesus is shown with the Many Wings formation sometimes seen in older Christian icons of saints. Lines are drawn showing the stigmata flowing from Jesus in the sky with many wings down to St. Francis' hands and feet.
It kind of looks like Jesus is a kite........ and St. Francis is flying him.