Capuchin friar who was one of last people with direct ties to Padre Pio dies at age 85

WILMINGTON, Del. (OSV News) -- Capuchin Franciscan Father John Aurilia -- the former assistant to St. Padre Pio whose final interview last October on the Wilmington's Diocese's Catholic Forum broke records as it was viewed nearly 300,000 times -- died Jan. 13 in Wilmington. He was 85.

Father Aurilia worked for St. Padre Pio (St. Pio of Pietrelcina) in 1967 when Padre Pio, the Italian Capuchin friar, priest, stigmatist and mystic lived in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.

Father Aurilia was most recently living and writing at St. Francis of Assisi Friary in Wilmington and is the author of "Dearest Soul: A Spiritual Journey with Padre Pio" published by OSV Books. He was featured Sept. 24 on the YouTube podcast produced by the Diocese of Wilmington Office of Communications.

The interview featured Father Aurilia's recollections about working for the popular saint, his humility and spirituality. The all-time, top-rated episode shattered the number for a typical Catholic Forum podcast audience each week.

"In the interview, Father Aurilia unveils a human aspect to St. Padre Pio that one does not often experience," said Bob Krebs, communications director for the diocese and longtime host of the Catholic Forum podcast/radio program. "I am sure that the warmth and charm of Father Aurilia also contributed to the immense popularity of the YouTube video."

Father Aurilia described the extraordinary mystical gifts of the saint, how his most outstanding gift was his humility and what Padre Pio was like in his day-to-day life, and he also told viewers more about his book "Dearest Soul."

The nearly 300,000 views make it the most watched video on the diocesan YouTube channel that also includes other Catholic Forum episodes, livestreams of Sunday Masses from Wilmington's Cathedral of St. Peter, special events and histories of some of the oldest churches on Maryland's Eastern Shore, which is part of the Delaware diocese.

The YouTube channel also picked up more than 1,500 additional subscribers due to the Father Aurilia interview, according to YouTube analytics.

Father Aurilia was called to serve as Padre Pio's personal secretary in August 1967, a year before Pio's death, he told a mini-retreat of about 250 people in April 2024 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wilmington.

In a story in The Dialog after the event at Immaculate Heart, Father Aurilia spoke of how Padre Pio's devotion to the rosary and his ministry were legendary. Father Aurilia was amazed at the grueling schedule he maintained, considering his lifelong health issues and how little he ate and slept.

"He would sometimes hear confessions for 12 hours straight," he said. "People don't realize how exhausting it is to hear confessions. If I hear confessions for an hour, I need a break. After two hours, I need a vacation."

Father Aurilia witnessed a few instances of Padre Pio's extraordinary powers while in his service. One was his ability to bilocate, one of his many gifts from God. One day, the seminary received word that Pio had been present in a courtroom in the northern Italian city of Bologna, acting in someone's defense. When asked how that could have been when he was at Rotondo at the same time, Pio responded that it was a "secret."

On another occasion, Father Aurilia witnessed Pio's ability to read thoughts. Father Aurilia, whose job it was to answer the mail, received a letter from a woman in Australia who wanted to know if her son would become a doctor or a priest. Since the request could not be answered with a form letter, Father Aurilia took the letter to the future saint, and before he could enter his room, the priest said that the boy would become a priest.

Father Aurilia, who kept relics from Padre Pio in his residence, also reported smelling the same flowery scents that others experienced emanating from Pio, even though the priest never used perfume.

The priest also saw the stigmata on Padre Pio's hands and feet. "They were ugly, bleeding," he said. "And some days the stigmata were so visible that you could see through them. They were deep, round holes. They needed to be dressed three, four times a day."

Father Aurilia noted that while the former did not offer him spiritual direction, he did learn a lot about obedience from him. When his monthlong service was over, he did not want to return to teaching, but rather wanted to work in ministry.

Padre Pio reminded him of his vow of obedience, and that was the end of the conversation. "I returned to teaching," he said.

A morning wake is to be held Jan. 20 at Sacred Heart Oratory in Wilmington followed by a funeral Mass for Father Aurilia at 10:30 a.m. Burial will take place the following day at St. Lawrence Friary in Beacon, New York.

Father Aurilia was born Dec. 8, 1940, in Montemarano, Italy, where he entered the Capuchin Franciscan order and was ordained a priest in 1966. He served as secretary to St. Padre Pio before coming to the United States to work with the Italian-speaking community in northern New Jersey.

He continued his studies of philosophy, earning a doctorate while at the same time serving in various parishes and ministries.

He was predeceased by his sister Sophia Ricciadi and his brother Orazio. He is survived by his sister Maria Riccio and brother Generoso, along with nephews Michael Riccio and Anthony Ricciadi, nieces Emanuela Harting and Nancy Rodriquez, and their spouses and children.