Singer Andrea Bocelli Venerates St. Padre Pio's Incorrupt Body, Reveals Devotion: "I've Always Felt His Protection"

This is so beautiful!

Andrea Bocelli revealed his personal devotion to St. Padre Pio in a recent interview, along with several photos posted to his Instagram account.

The opera singer told an Italian news outlet he “entrusted his father to Padre Pio” before his death. This reportedly inspired Bocelli to celebrate his 61st birthday at the Shrine of St. Padre Pio.

“For me he is a significant man, because I was here for a concert and here I entrusted my father to the care of Padre Pio. The next day he died.”

Bocelli recently attended celebrations commemorating St. Padre Pio’s death and feast day at the Shrine of St. Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. The opera singer sang at a special Mass, visited St. Padre Pio’s former room, and venerated the saint’s partially incorrupt body.

Here’s Bocelli’s Instagram post below:

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. There are special places, places that are doors thrown wide open to the wonder of the heavens. Sites that augment love and spirituality, which are shaped by the people who blessed them with their holiness. San Giovanni Rotondo is one of these places – of prayer and care. Being able to experience the regenerating power of the Shrine yesterday alongside the Brothers of St. Pius of Pietralcina and fellow worshipers, was the best possible way to spend my birthday. I could not have wished for a greater gift. If we truly think about it, that gift belongs to us all. We receive it every day: life. The miracle that conveys the grace of our Creator. . . Ci sono luoghi speciali, porte spalancate sulla meraviglia del cielo… Siti moltiplicatori d’amore e spiritualità, forgiati da chi li ha benedetti con la propria santità. San Giovanni Rotondo è uno di questi spazi, di preghiera e di cura, e poterne rivivere ieri il prodigio e la forza rigenerante, presso il suo Santuario insieme ai confratelli di San Pio di Pietralcina ed a tanti fedeli, è stato il miglior modo possibile per trascorrere il mio compleanno. Regalo più grande non è dato desiderare! Quel regalo che, a ben pensarci, è di tutti ed è d’ogni giorno: la vita, il miracolo che esprime, la grazia di saperne riconoscere il Creatore. . – Andrea . ph: Lorenzo Montanelli

A post shared by Andrea Bocelli (@andreabocelliofficial) on Sep 23, 2019 at 12:05pm PDT

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Here’s the full text of Bocelli’s post:

“There are special places, places that are doors thrown wide open to the wonder of the heavens. Sites that augment love and spirituality, which are shaped by the people who blessed them with their holiness.

“San Giovanni Rotondo is one of these places – of prayer and care. Being able to experience the regenerating power of the Shrine yesterday alongside the Brothers of St. Pius of Pietralcina and fellow worshipers, was the best possible way to spend my birthday.

“I could not have wished for a greater gift. If we truly think about it, that gift belongs to us all. We receive it every day: life. The miracle that conveys the grace of our Creator.”

Here is another photo of the singer visiting the Padre Pio’s Shrine:

The post’s full text reads, “I beseeched him not to abandon you, / to strengthen your faith and hope; / this I implored with all the tenacity / to be found in my tired soul. / (…) / In the world, all that is good is beautiful; / likewise, all that is beautiful is good: “Live for goodness and that alone!”… it was then I understood that life is a gift. / (Taken from the poem “Il dì” by Andrea Bocelli)”.

As previously mentioned, Bocelli also sang for a Mass commemorating Padre Pio’s blessed transit (his exact moment of death) and feast day (Sept. 23). He sang the Ave Maria wearing a rosary around his neck.