VINELAND -- The masses gathered Sunday for the annual St. Padre Pio Festival, drawn by their devotion to the Italian saint and the parish named in his honor.

More than 1,000 people attended a special 10:30 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Pompeii Church in East Vineland -- one of three area churches that joined under the Padre Pio parish name last year -- to commemorate the 36anniversary of the saint's death. Padre Pio was an Italian monk who is said to have borne the stigmata, or bleeding wounds of Christ, for 50 years, and is credited with miraculous cures. He was canonized in 2002.

The church's four walls could not contain the throngs of Pio's devoted followers, who spilled into an outdoor garden area surrounding the church.

"I never saw the church so crowded," exclaimed Angelo Spadoni, 84, of Vineland, a member of the church since his days as an altar boy.

Although Rose Yegla, 69, of Buena Vista arrived a half-hour before the Mass started, the pews were filled.

"I couldn't stand any longer," said Yegla, explaining her decision to move outdoors, where she gathered with those who listened to the Mass broadcast over loudspeakers. "I had to go through crowds and crowds to get out."

But, she added: "That's OK. That's faith."

Ten ministers assisted in the distribution of the blessed Eucharist.

For hours afterward, congregants lined up to touch sacred relics, including a bloodstained glove worn by Padre Pio.

The Rev. Ermelindo DiCapua, who assisted Padre Pio during the last three years of his life in the 1960s, delivered the homily. As he did, he gave insight into Padre Pio's life of humility, simplicity, and devotion to Jesus Christ and Mary.

"Padre Pio is still alive among us, and we are very proud to have Padre Pio as a guide, a teacher and a healer," he said, later asking the saint to continue loving and protecting all those gathered.

Alice Sutter of Vineland said she's cancer-free today because of the church family's prayers and saintly intercession.

"The love of all these people, they prayed so much for me when I had cancer," Sutter said.

Feasting followed the day's prayers. Outside the church, treats ranging from porchetta and sausage and pepper sandwiches to Italian desserts were being sold.

Less than an hour into the meals, organizers had sold 140 pounds of sausage and two roasted pigs -- enough for about 400 porchetta sandwiches, said Tim Wagoner, 47, one of many volunteers at the festival.

Wagoner was expecting to feed more than 2,000 visitors.

Originally published September 27, 2004