To mark its 10th anniversary, the Saint Pio Foundation in the US released 10 previously unpublished photographs of the saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Francesco Forgione, 1887-1968), better known as Padre Pio.
The director of the foundation, Luciano Lamonarcadiscovered the photos during a visit to the photographer’s studio Elia Stelluto.
Lamonarca tells EWTN that he is especially happy with the photo of a smiling Padre Pio.
‘We often think that Padre Pio was a serious man. But we know that faith is also about laughter.”
What strikes Lamonarca in Padre Pio’s photographs is that the saint rarely looks into the camera.
‘The way he looks at you, and yet doesn’t look at you. Padre Pio did not want to shine. That’s why he didn’t like being photographed.’
Lamonarca, an American opera singer who grew up in Italy, knew Padre Pio’s reputation but had no particular devotion to him. Until he and his wife had to deal with the great suffering of a stillborn baby. He began to pray to Padre Pio and learned to appreciate his “simplicity and humility.” Gradually the saint became to him like ‘the grandfather I never had’.
Lamonarca started the Saint Pio Foundation 10 years ago to raise Padre Pio’s profile in the US. The foundation is working on a documentary about the saint’s life, which will air on EWTN later this year.
The biographical film ‘Padre Pio’ was also released at the end of last year Shia LaBeouf in the lead. By empathizing with the role, the actor converted and joined the Catholic Church. Read more: Padre Pio: the man, the saint, the film.
Watch the interview with Luciano Lamonarca
English without subtitles.
Tags: neverbeforeseen photos Saint Padre Pio
