Catholic Church Plans to Exhume Italian Saint

From Reuters:

A plan to exhume the remains of Italy's favourite saint to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his death has sparked a protest by followers who threaten to go to court to make sure he rests in peace.

The exhumation would give millions of Italians another chance to pay tribute to Padre Pio, a 20th century mystic monk said to have suffered from stigmata -- bleeding wounds in the hands and feet similar to those of Christ.

Archbishop Domenico D'Ambrosio announced at the weekend his intention to lift the saint from his crypt in southern Italy and put it on full view for several months starting in April.

He was a true saint:

Born Francesco Forgione, the Capuchin friar was said to have wrestled with the devil in his monastery cell and also to have predicted future events.

Padre Pio, who died in 1968 at the age of 81, was even said to have had the power to appear in two places at once. Read more