His Devotion to the Holy Souls Saint Pio had a great devotion of charity for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially those souls most forgotten or abandoned. He never missed a day to pray for them and offered many Masses for their suffrage, and encouraged others to do so. His petitions on their behalf were so efficacious that often the Souls would pay him a visit to thank him and ask for more suffrages. Padre Pio was known to explain to someone on occasion of a Soul on the way to Heaven stopping to see him. From the Housetops magazine provides us a glimpse of this aspect of the prerogatives and spiritual gifts of this Saint: "One night the friars heard some voices in the hallway long after the doors had been locked. They were shouting Viva Padre Pio! Padre Pio identified them as deceased soldiers who had come in thanksgiving to him for his prayers. Padre Pio knew the state of the Souls in Purgatory, and the length of suffering assigned to them. When asked about the fires of Purgatory, he made this analogy, 'The Souls in Purgatory would like to throw themselves into a well of our earthly fire because for them it would be like a well of cool water.' Padre Pio recommended that we accept God's holy will on the death of a loved one and guide our thoughts towards prayer which will be beneficial for the Soul of the faithful departed rather than indulge in an excess of tears which does nothing." [p. 15.] E-MAIL HOME------------------------------------------------------------SAINTS www.catholictradition.org/Padre-Pio/padre-pio7c.htm