Feast Day of the Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

October 16

This image of Our Lady of Purity hung in Padre Pio’s cell in San Giovanni Rotondo.
We have no information on the artist or date.

His own mother gave him this picture. He said that “The Blessed Mother is the Mother of all mothers,” and he referred to her affectionately as “my dear little Mother.” In one of his letters he wrote, “Poor dear mother, how she loves me! What great care she took to accompany me to the altar this morning. It seemed to me that she had nothing else to think about except myself, as she filled my whole heart with sentiments of holy love. I wish I had a voice strong enough to invite the sinners of the world to love Our Lady. But since this is not within my power, I have prayed and will pray to my dear Angel to perform this task for me.” [From the Housetops, p. 14.]

From the Book of Heaven

Jesus says: “See how pure I AM – in you (Luisa) also I want to find Purity in everything.” At these words the soul feels a divine Purity enter into her. This Purity is transmuted into herself, and she arrives at Living as if she no longer had a body – and so with the other Virtues. Oh! how desirable is this speaking of Jesus. As for myself, I would give away everything that is on earth – if I could possess it – to have one of these words of Jesus alone.

Luisa Receives the Mystical Marriage

on the Feast of the Purity of Mary Most Holy

Now, during these exits that the Lord would make me do, sometimes He would renew the Promise of the Marriage, which I already mentioned. Who can tell the ardent yearnings that the Lord infused in me for this Mystical Marriage to take place? Many times I would solicit Him, telling Him: ‘Most sweet Spouse, hurry, no longer delay my intimate Union with You. O please! let us bind each other with stronger Bonds of Love, so that no one may ever again be able to separate us, even for simple instants.’ And Jesus would correct me now about one thing, now about another. I remember that one day He said to me: “Everything that is of the earth, everything – everything you (Luisa) must remove, not only from your heart, but also from your body. You cannot understand how harmful are the slightest earthly shadows, and how much they hinder Love.” Immediately I said to Him: ‘If I have something else that must be removed, tell me, for I am ready to do it.’ But as I was saying this, I myself realized that I had a gold ring at my finger, portraying the image of the Crucifix; and immediately I said to Him: ‘Holy Spouse, do you want me to take it off?’ And He told me: “Since I Myself will give you (Luisa) a more Precious, more Beautiful Ring, which will have My Living Image impressed on it, and every time you will look at it your heart will receive New Arrows of Love – this one is not necessary.” And I promptly removed it.

The longed for day finally arrived, after not a little suffering. I remember that it was almost one year that I had been continuously in bed – it was the day of the Purity of Mary Most Holy. On the night before that day, my Lover Jesus made Himself seen all Festive. He drew near me, took my heart in His Hands, and He looked at it over and over again; He dusted it, and then He gave it back to me. Then He took a Garment of immense Beauty, whose background seemed to be a Surface of Gold streaked with various Colors, and He clothed me with that Garment. Then He took two Gems, as if they were Earrings, and He Bejewelled my ears. Then He adorned my neck and my arms, and surrounded my forehead with a Crown of immense Value, all enriched with Precious Stones and Gems, all refulgent with Light; and it seemed to me that those Lights were as many Voices which resounded among themselves, speaking in clear Notes of the Beauty, the Power, the Fortitude, and of all the other Virtues of my Spouse Jesus. Who can tell what I comprehended, and in what sea of consolation my soul was swimming? It is impossible to say it.

Now, while He was Crowning my forehead, Jesus told me: “Most sweet spouse (Luisa), I place this Crown upon you so that nothing may be missing in order to make you (Luisa) worthy of being My spouse; but then, after our Wedding is finished, I will take it with Me to Heaven, to keep it for you at the moment of your death.” Finally, He took a Veil and covered me completely with it, from head to foot; and He left me in that way. Ah! it seemed to me that there was a great Meaning in that Veil, because the demons, in seeing me all covered with that Veil, were so frightened and had such fear of me, that they fled, terrified. The very Angels were around me with such Veneration, that I myself was confused and all full of blushing.

On the morning of the aforementioned day, Jesus made Himself seen again all Affable, Sweet and Majestic, together with His Most Holy Mother and Saint Catherine. First, the Angels sang a Hymn, while Saint Catherine assisted me, Mama took my hand, and Jesus put the Ring on my finger. Then, we Embraced and He Kissed me, and so did Mama also. Then we had a conversation, all of Love – Jesus told me of the great Love He had for me, and I also told Him of the love I had for Him. The Most Holy Virgin made me comprehend the great Grace I had received, and the correspondence with which I was to correspond to the Love of Jesus.

My Spouse Jesus gave me New Rules in order to Live more perfectly, but since it has been a long time, I don’t remember them so well; therefore I will skip them. And so it ended, for that day.