When Padre Pio Miraculously Stopped Planes From Dropping Bombs During WWII

A legendary mystic and stigmatic, above all Padre Pio was a great saint. Padre Pio was distinctly known for his devout prayer life, calling it the best weapon we possess, the key that opens the heart of God.

In fact, he said this prayer every single day of his life that he called a “secret weapon.”

But do you know about the time he saved his town of San Giovanni Rotondo from being bombed during WWII?

Read below a re-telling of an excerpt about the miraculous true story of The flying monk:

“During World War II, Allied pilots of diverse nationalities and religions were stationed in Puglia. Remarkably, as they approached San Giovanni Rotondo, they reported seeing a friar in the sky. This friar, extending his wounded hands, seemed to prevent them from dropping their bombs.

General Bernardo Rosini of the United Air Command recounted that every time the pilots returned from their missions, they spoke of this friar appearing in the sky and turning their planes away.

The stories spread, and due to their persistence, General Nathan F. Twining of the USAF, who was in Bari, decided to personally lead a bombing mission near San Giovanni Rotondo. As they neared the target, both he and his squadron saw a monk with raised hands in the sky. Miraculously, their bombs dropped harmlessly into open fields, and their planes turned back without any intervention from the pilots.

Upon their return, there was widespread curiosity about the identity of the friar. The General and his pilots were informed about Padre Pio and decided to visit him. The pilots immediately recognized Padre Pio as the monk they had seen. Padre Pio addressed General Twining, saying, “So you are the one that wanted to destroy everything.” This encounter led to a friendship between the General and Padre Pio.

Colonel Loyal Bob Curry of the 464th Bomb Group of the 15th Air Force, stationed at Spinazzola under General Twining, reported multiple airmen witnessing a flying monk preventing them from releasing bombs. Alfonso D’Artega, serving at the Amendola Air Base, also reported similar sightings. Pilots described seeing a monk flying alongside their planes, waving his arms.

D’Artega and a pilot visited Padre Pio, and the pilot recognized him as the monk seen through the clouds. These extraordinary events left a lasting impression on all who witnessed them.”

🙏 Padre Pio, pray for us!

How much do you know about the life of Padre Pio?

See what you know about his life and watch his last Mass here! 

Story source: caccioppoli.com | Photo credit: Luis Fraga / Shutterstock.com