Sant'Elia a Pianisi (Campobasso)

On the morning of January 25th 1904, together with his fellow-novitiate Brother Anastasio of Roio and Provincial Father Pio of Benevento, Padre Pio left for Sant'Elia a Pianisi (Campobasso) to begin his studies of rhetoric (i.e. junior high school) and then continue with those of philosophy (i.e. senior high school).
Sant'Elia a Pianisi loosely nestled halfway up a hill, on the left-hand side of the middle course of the Fortore river. It's origin is unclear, though it is not a very ancient one. Its early inhabitants climbed up from the abandoned villages of Casalfano and San Nicola. They were the very few fleeing survivors of the massacre of a terrible battle, when in 1598, in an attempt to release itself from the Spanish yoke, the castle of Pianisi - thus the appellative to Sant'Elia - was destroyed completely by the Spanish.

A committee of benefactors begged Father General Lorenzo of Brindisi, who was in Campobasso at that time, to send his monks to set up a convent in their town. With the blessing of the Capuchin Saint, the Cross was planted on October 4th 1604 and the first stone was laid. The church, of course, was dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi. The construction of the convent was completed in 1631, and the church was consecrated in 1690.

The convent of Sant'Elia a Pianisi, after that of San Giovanni Rotondo, is the one where Padre Pio resided longest: almost four years. One summer night in 1905, something "strange" happened. Padre Pio himself wrote: "I was in Sant'Elia a Pianisi at the time when I was studying philosophy. My cell was the first to the last one down the corridor behind the church, at the height of the niche of the Immaculate Virgin which dominates the front of the high altar. One summer night, after having recited the matins, I had left both my window and door wide open because of the great heat. At one point I heard some noise, seemingly coming from the cell next door. Since the noise went on, I decide to call Brother Anastasio. In the meantime, there was a strong smell of sulfur. I went to the open window to call out: "Brother Anastasio, Brother Anastasio!" without raising my voice too much. Receiving no reply, I stepped back but was terrified to see an enormous dog walk through my doorway, a lot of smoke coming out of its mouth. I fell back on my bed and heard it say: "E' isso, è isso (it's him, it's him)". While I was in that position, I saw the horrible animal leap out of the window onto the opposite roof and disappear."

Always in Sant'Elia a Pianisi, a bilocation of the seminarist Brother Pio took place. He speaks about it in a short report written in February 1905. The report is given hereunder, referring readers to the references for a detailed and complete narration of the entire episode.
"Some days ago, something unusual happened to me, while I was in choir with Brother Anastasio. It was about 11.00 p.m. on the 18th of this month (January 1905 - editor's note), found myself in an elegant house, where the father was dying, while a baby girl was being born. Then the Very Holy Virgin Mary appeared to me, and She said: "I entrust you with this creature: it is a raw gem, carve it, smooth it, make it as shiny as possible, for one day I will use it as an ornament on myself …" "How will that be possible, if I am but still a poor seminarist and I do not know if one day I will have the fortune and joy of being a priest? And should I even become a priest, how will I be able to care for this child since I am so far away from this place?" The Virgin Mary added: "Have no doubts, she is the one who will come to you, but before that, you will meet her in St. Peter's in Rome." After which, I was again with the choir."

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