Evening star., 1926-11-07

moved, and all the Kingdom
interested in the case of Padre
~ Pho of Pietrelcina. hailed now
for many years as a saint sent
on earth to convert men. But the
holv office. after examining the case,
has inst issued an edict forbidding all
Catholics to print. read, sell. lend,
borrow. translate or diffuse pamph-
let's about him, or to visit or In any
wav communicate with him. In 9TH
err words. the little books which have
been written about him are put on
the Index Expurgatorious ana Paore
pio must remain isolated In MS mon
astery.
This is the latest stage of long
dispute between those Cathollcs VINO
believe Padre Pho the greatest saint
since the death Of Pope Piux X: IN
1914, and those who do not tnlnk nun
anything but hystericai minor iriai.
Not for generations has a living
man had such a cult. Catholics from
every part of the world write to him
to try to get a glove or a picture or
a medal. Many are the miraculous
healinss and conversions ATTRIBUTED
to him. Thousands who have never
seen him testify to the eff1cacy OF MS
intercession. Pilgrims have nockeo
to him. The province he lives III
was on the edge of revolt when the
rumor came that he must leave.
AS every good Catholic knows, the
stismata are counterparts OF tne
marks of the wounds on Chrlst
body impressed on the bodies OF Ger
tain saints. St. Francis of Assist is
one of the most prominent instances
Of a. holy man having received the
stigmata. And Father Pho 1s minor
friar of the Franciscan Order. lie
was baptized Francis.
Born of poor parents in the little
township of Pietrelcina in Southern
italy. Francis, or Pho. as he became
upon entering the order to which he
still belongs. was always gentle boy,
shrinking from the rough manners
and blasphemous language or other
bows in the village. Those who have
followed his career with that intense
admiration such men excite in South
ern Italy even today. where saint
is still beloved and miracles are
faithfully believed in. say that. ac-
cording to the teachings OF the Old
Testament, there is special virtue In
the part which the cabalistic number
5 plays in his life.
He was born in the fifth year OF
the centenary of ST. Francis birth. In
the fifth month of the year, on the
25th day-5x5-at 5 o'clock In the
afternoon, in township OF 5,OOO
souls. was one of five brothers. took
the baptismal name of Pope Plus v
when he became a monk, this Pope's
feast day falling on the fifth day OF
the fifth month Of the year. The mon
astery where he lives at San Giovan-
nj Rotondo is inhabited by Ave
priests. his cell is number five, his
war pension card was numbered hVe.
And so forth and so on.
Always delicate. Padre Pho has had
many months of sickness in his lie.
But he has spent most of his time in
PRAYER and fasting. This, with his
blameless life, has brought for him
the two great attributes which make
the people of southern Italy stick to
it that he is a saint. These two at
tributes are: the stlgmata and the
miracles he performs from time to
time.
Before receiving the stigmata,
Padre Pic used to see visions. He
fell into silent ecstasy during mass.
The mass lasted so long In conse-
ouence that brother monks used to
complain. But the villagers revered
him all the more for it. Gradually
poor people used to- 60 to him with
their troubles: sordid sins, sickness,
the misery of daily life. And he
helped them with such kindness.
pulled them out of the slough with
such gentle tenacity and such cheer
fulness withal, that, though not yet
20. he began to be known far be-
yond the regions of San Giovanni.
That mountain monastery surround
ed By olive-clad slopes, but perched
on barren rocks. is like the hills
Palestine.
The stigmata first appeared while
he was at home. where he had been
sent on account of Ill health-pul
monary tuberculosis. the doctors then
said, though later on this malady
was pronounced cured. Wounds
bleeding and in the shape of the cross,
appeared on the palms Of his hand,
and the arches of his feet while he
was praying in a little arbor in his
fathers vineyard. People fiocked to
ask his intercession for sickness and
also 30 see these wounds, which con.
tinued to bleed at frequent intervals.
They they disappeared, to come again
one Friday. Sometimes they appeared
while he was saying mass in the lit
tie church at San Giovanni. two
years following their hrst NApear.
anee, the stigmata appeared flve