Today is a very special day for friends of Blessed Pier Giorgio. "Peter" being the first part of his name, this feast was always considered his name day. In those days, it was still a holy day of obligation. (By the way, it remains a holy day of obligation in the Eastern Catholic Church to this day.)
This feast day also marked the beginning of Pier Giorgio's last days on earth after contracting the polio disease. One of the most moving books by his sister Luciana is: My Brother Pier Giorgio, His Last Days. In the opening pages of the book, she recounts the request Pier Giorgio made to the maid Maria on that day. "Two cigars. Today you have to give me two cigars: one for St. Peter and one for St. Paul; it's a double feast day today!" (p. 8) I love the fact that his good sense of humor remained with him even to the end. And it is nice to read how much he practiced his faith and celebrated the great feast days of the Church.
We are on the fifth day of the novena in honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio. How nice to be able to celebrate the patron saint of Pier Giorgio just a few days before we celebrate the feast of Pier Giorgio himself! Verso l'alto!
This feast day also marked the beginning of Pier Giorgio's last days on earth after contracting the polio disease. One of the most moving books by his sister Luciana is: My Brother Pier Giorgio, His Last Days. In the opening pages of the book, she recounts the request Pier Giorgio made to the maid Maria on that day. "Two cigars. Today you have to give me two cigars: one for St. Peter and one for St. Paul; it's a double feast day today!" (p. 8) I love the fact that his good sense of humor remained with him even to the end. And it is nice to read how much he practiced his faith and celebrated the great feast days of the Church.
We are on the fifth day of the novena in honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio. How nice to be able to celebrate the patron saint of Pier Giorgio just a few days before we celebrate the feast of Pier Giorgio himself! Verso l'alto!
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