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A recently commissioned Catholic tribute painting of a relatively contemporary saint, Saint Padre Pio, by British expressionist artist Stephen B. Whatley.
The Italian Saint, was born Francesco Forgione in 1887 and given the name Pius (Italian: Pio) when he joined the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in 1903 at 15. He is also known as Saint Pius of Peitrelcina.
Deeply holy and predestined he stated at the incredibly young age of 5 that he had decided to devote his whole life to God.
Devoted to helping and healing others and giving hope assisted by a delightful sense of humour, he sadly suffered personally with ill health most of his life.
On September 20, 1918, the Feast of The Stigmata of Saint Francis of Assisi - to whom he was devoted - he was struck down with severe pain...as he received the wounds of the Crucified Christ - which would need to be bound for the rest of his life.
Amongst miracles attributed to him, was the ability during his lifetime, to perform 'bilocation' : the ability to be in two places at once - whilst performing Mass in church he was could be at the bedside of someone close to death. He could also invite himself into people's dreams, giving them direction towards solving problems in their lives.
Like Christ, Padre Pio suffered terrible mental anguish about those who persecuted and doubted him - including the Vatican which sought proof of his powers - but miracles finally accepted were the curing of an 11-year-old boy who was in a coma and the medically inexplicable recovery of a woman with lung disease.
In his lifetime Padre Pio exhaustively listened to thousands of confessions; Confession he declared was a cleansing of the soul, 'like dusting a room'.
It was not until 1998, 30 years after his death at 81 in 1968, that he was afforded Beatification. In 2002 that he was canonised as Saint Pio of Pietrelcina by Pope John Paul II, now Saint John Paul II - with whom he shared a devotion to Divine Mercy.
His wonderful warm smile enchanted all who met him in his lifetime and today he remains enormously popular in Italy and the rest of Europe, Australia and the USA, where his smiling face can even be found on windscreen stickers of cars belonging to devotees.
Amongst Saint Padre Pio's holy assurances were that 'prayer is the key that opens the heart of God' and that ' love is the first ingredient in the relief of suffering'.
One of Saint Padre Pio's most famous prayers is " Pray, hope and don't worry".
Artist Stephen B. Whatley (1965-) suffered the tragic loss at 16 of his beloved, devoted mother Marjorie J. Whatley (1943-1981) in 1981). The devastating bereavement lead the artist on a search for spiritual depth both in his life and art; and whilst he was born an Anglican, he became attracted to the devotions within the Catholic Church – to which he converted in 2011.
He is happy that his work touches so many Christians, whether they be Catholics, Anglicans or Episcopalians.
Since 2000, he has been drawn to make statements of prayer and faith; often painting on specific anniversaries and Feast Days – with what he humbly calls a “divine push’, creating both works of hope and light.
The work of Stephen B. Whatley is in collections worldwide & public collections which own his work include the BBC, London Transport Museum, and The Royal Collection of Queen Elizabeth II.
Catholic institutions that own the artist's paintings include The Carrollton School of The Sacred Heart, Miami, USA, The Institute of Marist Brothers, Canada, Newman University, Birmingham (UK), St Anthony Padua Catholic College, Sydney, Australia and Westminster Cathedral, London - which staged his 2013 exhibition, Paintings From Prayer. Westminster Cathedral, London - which staged his 2013 exhibition, Paintings From Prayer.
The artist's series of 30 paintings, commissioned by the Tower of London in 2000, is a permanent exhibit outside Tower Hill Station, London ; reproduced throughout Tower Hill Pedestrian Underpass (outside Tower Hill Station) - the main portal entrance to Her Majesty's Tower of London.
Saint Padre Pio. 2021 by Stephen B. Whatley
Oil on canvas, 30 x 24in/ 76 x 61cm
Private collection, London, UK
EXPLORED NOV-11-2009 Best position #42
Chapel of the Souls in Purgatory
Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
151 Calle Cristo
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Founded in 1521, the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (San Juan Bautisto) in Old San Juan is the oldest church in Puerto Rico. Its present form was begun in 1540 as a replacement for a thatch-roofed chapel that was blown apart by a hurricane in 1529. Chronically hampered by a lack of funds and a recurring series of military and weather-derived disasters, it slowly evolved into the Gothic-inspired structure you see today.
The Chapel of the Souls in Purgatory contains the earthly remains of Saint Pio, a Roman martyr, whose name (Pius) twelve popes have taken. He was a Roman soldier, executed for his faith during the earliest Christian persecutions. The holy relic was brought to the Cathedral from the Vatican in 1848.
The chapel is illuminated by a stained glass window in which angels are seen rescuing souls from the flames of Purgatory.
While meandering through a small town in Italy, I came across this lovely shrine honoring Padre Pio which was constructed in the facade of one of the homes lining a very picturesque street.
He is a great intercessor and spiritual help. If you need that kind of help, do ask. He is most generous and kind. Whenever I needed him he was there.
"Pray, pray to the Lord with me, because the whole world needs prayer. And every day, when your heart especially feels the loneliness of life, pray. Pray to the Lord, because even God needs our prayers." — St. Pio of Pietrelcina
The picture of Padre Pio was photographed at the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA.
Copyright 2008 Loci B. Lenar
There is a convent attached to the Baclayon Church. Apart from teh convent, this building also houses a small museum anda religious gifts store. This large flag of Padre Pio (later Saint Pio), a venerated soul in this church, hangs at the entrance to the gift shop. Saint Pio (Pius) of Pietrelcina, O.F.M. Cap. (May 25, 1887 – September 23, 1968) was a Capuchin Catholic priest from Italy who is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. He was born Francesco Forgione, and given the name Pius (Italian: Pio) when he joined the Capuchins, thus he was popularly known as Padre Pio. He became famous for bearing the stigmata. On 16 June 2002, he was canonized by Pope John Paul II. (Bohol- Tagbilaran, Philippines, May 2013)