Crowds of devotees to be blessed with Padre Pio glove

Large crowds are expected in a Kerry church this evening to be blessed with one of Padre Pio’s trademark fingerless gloves.

The glove is said to have been one of a number that the saint wore to cover wounds in both his hands.

Devotees believe they and other scars he bore correspond with the same wounds Jesus Christ sustained at his crucification.

The glove is one of a number found in the small Italian convent “cell” where Padre Pio lived until his death in 1968.

It will be on display in the Church of Saints Stephen and John in Castleisland during monthly devotions to Padre Pio, starting tonight from 7.30pm.

Fr Mossie Brick, the priest behind the initiative, previously held packed devotions to the saint at the Church of St Michael in the north Kerry village of Lixnaw.

Tonight’s evening of devotion will be addressed by the Irish Capuchin provincial, Brother Bryan Shortall OFM.

It will continue on the first Tuesday of each month until June and will then break until the first Tuesday of September.

The church now has a dedicated shrine to St Pio, which is already attracting a lot of devotion locally since it was expertly constructed and finished by local trades-man, Tim Broderick.

Fr Brick said last night: “One of the gloves he used to wear to cover the wounds to his hands will be at the services.

“Those who wish will be able to take the glove and bless themselves.

“It’s in a frame or else it would be torn to shreds.”

Fr Brick, parish priest of Castleisland, said his devotion to Padre Pio began as a child while listening to his mother talking about him.

He added: “We are very lucky to have one of Padre Pio’s ‘healing gloves’ at our devotions on Tuesday evening.

“In the course of his remarkable lifetime, he had the power of healing sickness of both body and mind. And he had innumerable miracles to his credit — even in the course of his lifetime.”