08/08/2021
Giovanna Rizzani
Padre Pio was 18, and studying philosophy in Sant'Elia a Pianisi, when he experienced bilocation for the first time.
He had the presence of mind to write down his experience within three weeks and consign it to his superiors.
He wrote on February 1905: "Few days ago an unusual thing happened to me. I was in the choir with Fra’ Atanasio at about 11 PM on January 18, 1905, when I found myself far away in Udine, were a father was dying and a child was being born." The Virgin Mary told me: 'I'm entrusting this child to you. One day she will come to you, but you will meet her first in Saint Peter’s.’ After that I found myself back in the choir.”
The girl to be born was Marchioness Giovanna Rizzani Boschi. Vanina for her friends.She is one of 6 witnesses who testified at the Process of beatification. Her life was full of coincidences that don't have a rational explanation. She was born January 18, 1905.
Padre Pio handwritten note was kept for years by Padre Agostino. Later he gave it to Giovanna. Giovanna asked Padre Pio about it and he confirmed the authenticity.
The dying person was Giovanni Battista Rizzani. His wife Leonilde had been praying at his bedside, hoping for a last-minute conversion. Leonilde saw a young Capuchin standing over the husband’s bed. As soon she looked at him, he left the room and disappeared down the hallway.
She was then caught by violent contraction and gave birth to a five weeks premature girl.
After the death of her husband, Leonilde moved with her daughter to Rome, to live with her parents.
A confessional in St. Peter's basilica
In the summer of 1922 Giovanna went with a friend for confession in St. Peter’s basilica. When they arrived it was almost closing time and they were told to come back next day. On the way out Giovanna saw a Capuchin hurriedly enter a confessional. She immediately went to him and confessed. After confession she and her friend waited for the Capuchin to get out, to greet him. The custodian saw them and asked them to leave. They told him about the Capuchin in the confessional. The man looked in the confessional. It was empty.
In 1923 Giovanna heard about Padre Pio and went to see him with some friends.
He told her: “I know you. You were born the day your father died. I have been waiting for you all these years.” She replied: “You are mistaking me for someone else.” Padre Pio: “No. You already know me. Last year in St. Peter's I was the capuchin priest who confessed you. Don’t you remember?"
She was very surprised and confused.
Padre Pio continued: "Giovanna, the Virgin Mary took me to Udine just before you were born to be, and I witnessed your father's death. Our Lady informed me that his wife was about to give birth to a girl and that she was placing this child under my care. My daughter, you are my responsibility. One day you will be present at my death."
Giovanna was perplexed and filled with emotion. She said: “Should I become a nun?” Padre Pio: “No. Come frequently to San Giovanni Rotondo and I will guide your soul.”
Many years later she heard the voice of Padre Pio: “Come soon to San Giovanni Rotondo because I’m going away.” Giovanna was now an elderly lady. She went accompanied by her friend Margherita Hamilton four days before Padre Pio’s death. She confessed to him, and he concluded: “I absolve you now of all the sins you have ever committed. I am going away.”
The night of Padre Pio’s death Giovanna woke up suddenly and said to her friend “Padre Pio is dead.” They both left the hotel room and went toward the convent in the middle of the night. Already a small crowd had gathered in the square in front of the church were a friar was announcing the death of Padre Pio.
Later she described the vision she had of Padre Pio's cell the night he died. She reported every detail of what had happened, and described every person that was in the room.
On September 23, 1978 Padre Paolo Covino, who had administered the last rites to Padre Pio, was on the square of the church of St. Mary of the Graces. A woman asked him: “Are you Padre Paolo? I saw you in a vision, administering the last rites to Padre Pio on September 23, 1968.” The lady was Giovanna Rizzani.
