While St. Padre Pio is well known for various cases of bilocation (being observed to be present in two places at the same time), there may have been another holy Capuchin priest who was present in two locations through the power of God.
His name was Fr. Domenico da Cese, and he spent most of his life at a shrine in Manopello, Italy, where a miraculous image is kept that contains the face of Jesus. Throughout his life he had occasional encounters with St. Padre Pio, and in many ways Domenico’s life was very similar to that of the popular saint.
When Padre Pio died in 1968, Domenico spoke to a fellow priest, Fr. Enrico Carusi, and told him that he would not attend the funeral of Padre Pio. Fr. Domenico was scheduled to lead a group of pilgrims at the shrine in Manopello and many witnesses confirm his presence at the shrine.
However, according to a new book, Servant of God, Padre Domenico Da Cese, O.F.M. Capuchin, An Illustrated Biography, a woman visited Fr. Domenico a few days later at the shrine and asked him, “Why did you not respond, when I saw you and greeted you [at Padre Pio’s funeral]?” Fr. Domenico remained silent and moved on, even after the woman asked him a second time, not addressing the question or giving an answer.
Afterwards television footage was released of Padre Pio’s funeral procession and many noticed a man who looked like Fr. Domenico. According to Antonio Bini, a relative of Fr. Domenico’s saw the footage and “confirmed that it was Padre Domenico, ‘who should not have been found at San Giovanni Rotondo.'”
Furthermore, a photographer in Italy who knew Fr. Domenico very well, often taking his photo, looked at the TV footage and “immediately and without hesitation said that it was Padre Domenico.”
While Fr. Domenico did not confirm this miracle during his life time, witnesses claim that he did bilocate and that his bilocation was captured on video (see below).
On March 3, 2015, the cause for canonization of Capuchin priest Fr. Domenico da Cese was officially launched, granting him the title of “Servant of God.” The authenticity of the claim of bilocation will likely be investigated as his cause for canonization continues.
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