Holy solar: Statue of Catholic saint will produce renewable energy
Catholic saint Padre Pio will be commemorated with the world's first green, energy-producing statue.
By Stephanie RogersThu, Aug 06 2009 at 1:36 PM EST
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Photo: Why build an ordinary everyday statue in commemoration of one of Catholicism’s most cherished saints when you can build one that literally delivers rays of light to the people?
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Padre Pio has a special significance for Italian Catholics, who pray to him more often than to Jesus or the Virgin Mary, so perhaps it’s not too surprising that curators of his shrine have decided to build the kind of monument that will get worldwide attention: a 60-foot statue capable of collecting solar energy.
Born Francesco Forgione in 1887, Padre Pio has a massive global following that is expected to pony up the several million euros that it will take to build the statue. It will be covered in a special photovoltaic paint that will enable it to capture solar energy, making it the world’s first example of green religious iconography.
The saint is said to have borne the wounds of stigmata on his hands, feet and side for at least half a century, and his fellow friars attributed thousands of miraculous cures to him at the time of his death in 1968.
Padre Pio’s preserved body has been on display at San Giovanni Rotondo near the Adriatic coast of Italy since March of 2008, and will remain there through September. His face has been covered with a lifelike silicone mask of the type used in wax museums “to protect the sensibilities of those who visited the crypt.”
Even the state of his body 40 years after his death has been deemed a miracle, as a local bishop claims that when his tomb was opened, there was no unpleasant smell.
"When I asked the doctors for an explanation, they told me it was up to me to provide an answer, not them."
MNN homepage image includes photos by ammuth/iStockphoto and castielli/Flickr
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Comments
Anonymous
08/07/2009 04:29 AM
I agree with other commentators that this article has been written, as have some of the comments, with little understanding of the Catholic faith ie. that saints are NOT worshipped but rather prayed to in the most humble manner to INTERCEDE on our behalf to God. It has nothing to do with idolatry at all. Catholics are merely recognising that these individuals were particularly Christ-like in their lives and it is a form of celebrating God's human creation.
Anonymous
08/07/2009 20:01 PM
Quote:
that saints are NOT worshipped but rather prayed to in the most humble manner to INTERCEDE on our behalf to God.
Once again.
You will not find this anywhere in Gods Holy Word.
Read: 1 Timothy 2:5 -6 For there is ONE God,and MEDIATOR between God and men,the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all,to be testified in due time.
Anonymous
08/06/2009 21:54 PM
The comment in this article that says what my headline says is rude, mean and false. Apparently it was not written by anyone who knows or understands devotion to saints, in the Catholic church. There is no saint that gets more prayers than God Himself, in the second person of the Holy Trinity or His mother. Comments like this should be refrained from when there is little knowledge of the subject.
Anonymous
08/06/2009 23:59 PM
No where in the Bible does it say that saints should be prayed to.
All those who have truly received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are called saints.
There is only One Mediator between God and man and that is the man
Jesus Christ.
Mary is never to be prayed to.
No where in the scriptures does it say
to pray to Mary.
Mary even said.
I rejoice in God my Savior.
Mary was not without sin.
It is blasphemous to pray to anyone other.... More
Suzie
08/13/2009 20:31 PM
look at what you aer saying - you're telling me a saint is still to be considered a sinner! What's the point then???
Get over it people - the bible doesn't talk about a lot of things, thats because it is out of date and written 100's of years ago. You don't listen to any other information or stories that are that old so why listen to these. All catholics and christians are essentially the same - you all believe in god. Any differences are minor and just go to show how ridiculas this.... More
Anonymous
08/07/2009 06:03 AM
This is a common Protestant error about the faith. Mary is without sin. Do you think that God would allow His son to be born of a sinner? And Catholics do not worship saints and idols. The saints are friends in heaven that intercede, and statues and pictures are the same as you keep on your desk of your mother . They are there to remind you of that person. Educate yourself!
Anonymous
08/07/2009 19:25 PM
Question:Do you think that God would allow His son to be born of a sinner?
The word of God says.
Romans 3:23 For ALL have sinned,and fallen short of the glory of God:
Show me where it says all have sinned accept for MARY?
Educate yourself.
Anonymous
09/08/2009 13:22 PM
Mary is The Immaculate Conception. She is free from original sin unlike the rest of humanity. She was made perfect by God to be the Vessel of His Son Jesus. If you took the time the to learn and about Her life, and pray for that understanding and enlightenment, you would certainly understand why it is that She truly free from sin.
Anonymous
08/06/2009 23:21 PM
That statement was borthersome to me as well. If those who are devoted to Padre Pio are confused and paying TO him and not Jesus then they havent learned much about their religion. We can ask Padre Pio to pray for us, intercede for us now that he is in the presence of the Lord.
Anonymous
08/06/2009 18:54 PM
Enter your comments THis is a fantastic idea...... Padre Pio epitomizes the energy of life. He was a field of energy with all his mystical abilities. He took in the negative energies of others through his multiple confessions and blessed people with forgiveness concluding in millions being transformed with the energy of mercy and love. He stands as an Icon of the pedaler of renewable energy. Genius idea!
Anonymous
08/06/2009 18:03 PM
I think it's kinda neat.
