By Fr. Francesco D. Colacelli

It was a memorable day characterised with great faith in the hearts of thousands of   devotees who, on a weekday morning, left everything to embrace again spiritually ‘their’ Padre Pio. And also for those millions who, unable to come, followed the event via television.

We, the Capuchin friars  from every part of the world, physically present or spiritually represented in the person of the Vicar General of the Order Fr. Felice Cangelosi, shall not forget this day and always bear in mind our religious duties before the glorious example of our fellow friar, who became a saint not because of his stigmata or  supernatural gifts, but because of the integrity with which he bore the Franciscan habit.

Without doubt it will remain an  unforgettable day for our Archbishop, Domenico Umberto D’Ambrosio who, on 24 April, was at last able, with profound joy, to reap  the harvest of a religious event that he  had prepared with the greatest care and that was also veiled with a little sadness for the incomprehension and calumnies.

The day will be  treasured also in the memories of the  more than 250 concelebrating priests, the 26 bishops and Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, who described Saint...