Natuzza Evolo and Padre Pio: their first meeting
Natuzza Evolo had never left her family for several days but had long wanted to be confessed by Padre Pio, the friar with the stigmata. Natuzza wanted share his pain, confide in him his inner torments and receive his blessing. They met only once in 1962 in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Spouses Libero and Italia Giampà accompanied her to San Giovanni Rotondo. Padre Pio was 75 years old and Evolo almost 38. Just in that period i signs of his participation in the passion of Christ were becoming more visible, more painful and constant.
What words had Padre Pio reserved for Natuzza?
The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie was packed, the woman was waiting her turn for confession when a friar came looking for her. Padre Pio was warned of his presence, says Don Pasquale Barone, spiritual director of Natuzza. You got here too, the friar exclaimed. When she knelt for receive the blessing, Padre Pio told her stand up you don't need it: you have the blessing directly from Jesus. The witnesses who saw them together had the impression that they had known each other for some time.
The meeting was providential also in view of the assaults diabolical of the evil one who would be intensified in the life of Evolo and against which Padre Pio had matured a heroic resistance. United in the infinite love of that total self they brought both sores similar to those of Jesus that they hid so as not to draw attention to their painful gift. And towards both of them with their mysterious wounds, Father Agostino Gemelli showed the same harsh severity.
The distant link between the friar and the mystic teacher in the years. Through dating in spirit as Natuzza called them with the bilocations of Padre Pio. Don Pasquale Barone recalls that Evolo had a vision of the friar from Pietrelcina three days before his death. It was in that vision that I gave you his message. Pray for my sufferings because I am at the peak, soon mine will end and will begin yours, said San Pio. As if it were a passing of the baton.