Witnesses have seen Baby Jesus in the arms of Padre Pio

Saint Padre Pio adored Christmas. He has held a special devotion to Baby Jesus since he was a child.
According to the Capuchin priest p. Joseph Mary Elder, “In his home in Pietrelcina, he prepared the crib himself. He often started working on it as early as October. While grazing the sheep of the family with friends, he would look for clay to be used to shape the small statues of shepherds, sheep and magi. He took particular care to create the baby Jesus, building and rebuilding it continuously until he felt he was right. "

This devotion has remained with him throughout his life. In a letter to his spiritual daughter, he wrote: “When the Holy Novena begins in honor of the Child Jesus, it seemed that my spirit was being reborn into a new life. I felt like my heart was too small to embrace all our heavenly blessings. "

Midnight Mass in particular was a joyful celebration for Padre Pio, who celebrated it every year, taking many hours to carefully celebrate Holy Mass. His soul was raised to God with great joy, a joy that others could easily see.

Furthermore, the witnesses told how they would have seen Padre Pio holding the infant Jesus. This was not a porcelain statue, but the infant Jesus himself in a miraculous vision.

Renzo Allegri tells the following story.

We recited the rosary while we waited for Mass. Padre Pio was praying with us. Suddenly, in an aura of light, I saw the baby Jesus appear in his arms. Padre Pio was transfigured, his eyes fixed on the shining child in his arms, his face transformed by an amazed smile. When the vision disappeared, Padre Pio realized from the way I looked at him that I had seen everything. But he came up to me and told me not to tell anyone about it.

A similar story is told by Fr. Raffaele da Sant'Elia, who lived alongside Padre Pio for many years.

I got up to go to church for the midnight Mass of 1924. The hallway was huge and dark, and the only lighting was the flame of a small oil lamp. Through the shadows I saw that Padre Pio was also heading for the church. He had left his room and was slowly making his way down the corridor. I realized that it was wrapped in a band of light. I took a better look and saw that he had the baby Jesus in his arms. I simply stood there, pierced, on the threshold of my room, and fell to my knees. Padre Pio passed by, all on. He hadn't even noticed you were there.

These supernatural events highlight Padre Pio's profound and enduring love for God. His love was further marked by simplicity and humility, with an open heart to receive whatever heavenly thanks to God had planned for him.

May we also open our hearts to receive the Child Jesus on Christmas day and let the unfathomable love of God overcome us with Christian joy