Miracles of Bilocation

The Christian tradition is rich in accounts of miracles of bilocation. Indeed, many saints have received this grace from the Lord. The most famous is certainly Saint Padre Pio, whose numerous miracles are celebrated. Other saints have been gifted with it, such as Saint John Bosco, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Saint Anthony of Padua, Pope Clement I, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Philip Neri, Saint Gaspare del Bufalo, and Saint Faustina.

What is Bilocation?

Bilocation is, according to the dictionary, the presence of the same person, at the same time, in several places. Generally, the phenomenon of bilocation is followed by a miracle.

The Bilocations of Saint Padre Pio

Thanks to numerous documented testimonies, the Church has been able to attest to the many bilocations of Saint Padre Pio.

Saint Padre Pio in Uruguay

It is said that one day, several witnesses claimed to have seen Padre Pio in Uruguay, at the death of a bishop. Yet the brothers of his monastery are certain that the monk did not leave their monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo.

Indeed, a Uruguayan bishop, Bishop Damiani, had come to visit Saint Padre Pio in his monastery to confess. One night, while feeling unwell, he sent for the monk to administer the last rites. The holy man did not hurry to his bedside. But when he arrived, the bishop was still very much alive; he then said to him, "I knew well that you would not die. You will return to your diocese and you will work for a few more years for the glory of God and the salvation of souls". Bishop Damiani agreed and replied: "Well, I will go, but on the sole condition that you promise me to come to assist me at the hour of my death". Padre Pio hesitated for a moment before accepting: "I promise you". Then, the bishop returned to Uruguay.

In 1941, during a gathering of Uruguayan bishops in the city of Salto, Bishop Damiani felt very unwell again, suffering from angina pectoris. Bishop Barbieri, then Archbishop of Montevideo, was awakened in the middle of the night by a Capuchin monk knocking at his door. The latter ordered him to go see Bishop Damiani because he was dying. So the archbishop complied and ran to the bishop's bedside. He arrived just in time to administer extreme unction. The dying man uttered two words before rendering his soul to the Lord: "Padre Pio...".
Many witnesses later attested to having seen a Capuchin monk in the colors of the monastery. Furthermore, one of Saint Padre Pio's gloves was found in the episcopal palace. This led to many miraculous healings.

Eight years later, when Bishop Barbieri visited San Giovanni Rotondo he recognized the holy man. He was absolutely certain he had seen him, over ten thousand kilometers away, at the bedside of Bishop Damiani. To this, Padre Pio's brothers replied that the monk had absolutely never left the monastery at that time.

Saint Padre Pio Saves General Cadorna

On the night of November 9, 1917, General Luigi Cadorna wanted to end his life, after the great military defeat at Caporetto. He felt humiliated and offended because he had been replaced in the supreme command. The general had then locked himself in a room of his palace in Treviso. He had formally ordered his sentinels to let no one enter. He took out his revolver and placed it on the table in front of him.

Now, Saint Padre Pio, still a military chaplain at the time, was praying after the defeat, in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. He was praying ardently for the general who was his superior.

Then, the general, who was about to write his last wishes, saw a young monk enter the room. Furious, the general wanted to call the guards. But, the Capuchin monk did not give him time. He embraced him, saying he was sent by God. Padre Pio then managed to convince Luigi Cadorna not to go through with the act. He left as mysteriously as he had arrived. The general discovered shortly after, in the newspaper, who the strange monk was who had saved his life. Three years later, General Cadorna visited Padre Pio at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. When the monk approached, the general immediately recognized him. Padre Pio welcomed him with a smile and said to him: "General, you had a close call; we had a very bad night that night..."

Saint Padre Pio Prevents a Bombing

During the Second World War, while flying over Mount Gargano, pilots of the Anglo-American air force reported seeing in the sky the face of a monk bearing the stigmata of Christ, forbidding them to drop the bombs they were carrying. The airmen later went to San Giovanni Rotondo and immediately recognized Padre Pio as the monk seen in the sky.

The Bilocation of Saint John Bosco

On October 14, 1878, Saint John Bosco was in Turin; witnesses saw him there. Yet, on the same day, in the Drôme region, in the village of Saint-Rambert d'Albon, several people saw him and attested to the healing of a child who was deaf, blind, and mute, through his intercession. It was the child's father, Monsieur Clément, who had welcomed an old, tired priest, encountered a few hours earlier on the road. He had stopped his cart near the old man, taken by pity at his exhaustion, and had offered him to come rest in his house. The man accepted. Once arrived at Monsieur Clément's house, they began to converse with Adèle, Clément's wife. Touched by the religious man's kindness of heart, the couple confided that they had a son who was deaf, blind, and mute, considered lost by the doctors, who lived with a wet nurse a few kilometers away. The priest then turned to Adèle and said to her, "Pray and you will be heard". The couple was very surprised by these words but said nothing. They then shared a meal, all three of them. After the grace, Saint John Bosco pointed to a white pitcher ringed with silver and said, "Keep this pitcher in memory of me". After the meal, seeming to have regained his strength, Don Bosco took his leave of the couple, thanking them warmly for their hospitality.

Clément and Adèle were still very perplexed by the priest's words. So, they decided to go to the wet nurse's to see their son. What was their astonishment upon arriving! Their son could see, hear, and was laughing heartily! The wet nurse told the child's parents that, around noon, an old man knocked on the door and asked to see the suffering child. She did not know who this man was, and especially how he knew a suffering boy lived there, since she did not know him. The old priest then began to pray in silence, laying both his hands on the child's head. Saint John Bosco disappeared as soon as his prayer ended, leaving the wet nurse speechless.

The Bilocation of Saint Anthony of Padua

One Holy Thursday, after chanting the liturgical office of Matins, Saint Anthony of Padua ascended the pulpit of the church of Saint-Pierre-du-Queyroix, in Limoges, to explain to the crowd the mysteries of that very important day. Now, at the same time, the minor brothers of his monastery were chanting Matins, and the custos, with Saint Anthony. The brothers were absolutely convinced of his presence because the holy man was designated as the reader during the divine office. At the moment of the reading, Saint Anthony is in the middle of the choir, and is chanting. Whether it was the assembly in the church of Limoges or the brothers of his monastery, all saw and heard him.

The Bilocation of Saint Alphonsus Liguori

The Italian bishop had claimed to have gone to visit Pope Clement XIV, on his deathbed while he himself was lying down, asleep, several kilometers from the papal palace, in Arienzo, near Naples: “You thought I was sleeping, but no, I had gone to assist the pope who has just died”.

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