BIOGRAPHY of ST GEMMA GALGANI - Get a Free Blog

visible all that evening.
THE TWO SIGNS
Another son of St. Paul of the Cross now comes upon the scene, Father Peter Paul Moreschini, who was
later Archbishop of Camerino, where he died a holy death in 1919. It was on August 29, 1899, at the
Gianninis' that he first heard of Gemma. Father Peter Paul was then the Provincial of the Roman-Tuscan
Province of the Passionists.
Cecilia Giannini, although herself convinced that the phenomena associated with Gemma were from God,
nevertheless felt she had need of advice in the matter, especially since Monsignor Volpi's hesitation. She
therefore spoke to Father Peter Paul. He, however, was not impressed. He considered that Gemma was
under a delusion and that Signora Giannini had been carried away by enthusiasm. He had not yet met
Gemma. Even when she was introduced to him, it seemed, as he himself confessed, that he had before him
merely a stupid girl.
When they were left alone Gemma asked him if he would use his influence to have her received, even as a
lay-sister, among the Passionist Nuns at Corneto. He received this request coldly; more, he rejected it with
scorn. Gemma rejoiced in this humiliation, and showed that she was not in the least disturbed. This deeply
impressed Father Peter Paul, who began to think that she was far from stupid as he had thought. He
therefore said to her: , If you want me to interest myself in getting you received by the Passionists, it is
necessary that I should first find out whether God really calls you to that life. Tell Jesus to give me two signs
that I have asked from Him at this moment.' Gemma prayed. The two signs asked interiorly by Father Peter
Paul were that he should see the Stigmata and the sweat of blood.' [Life of Gemma Galgani, by Venerable
Father Germano, C.P.]
Those phenomena, as the reader well knows, took place every week from Thursday to Friday. Although it
was only Wednesday, God was pleased to answer Gemma's prayer. In the afternoon Gemma went to make
the Holy Hour before the big Crucifix in the house. After a little while she went into ecstasy and began to
sweat blood copiously. Aunt Cecilia, who was watching, immediately called Father Peter Paul, who could
then easily see with his own eyes the phenomenon in the Servant of God. He afterwards withdrew, his heart
a prey to a deep emotion. When she recovered, Gemma said to Aunt Cecilia: 'The Father has asked two
signs from Jesus; and Jesus has told me that He has given him one and will give him the other.'
At about five o'clock that same evening two very red marks appeared on the back and on the palm of
Gemma's hands, and after five minutes she was again rapt in ecstasy, and the Stigmata were seen
impressed on her hands.
Signora Cecilia then called Father Peter Paul, whom she had asked a little while before, that is at the first
appearance of the red marks, whether this was not the second sign he had solicited. He, however, had given
no answer. Accompanied by the priest, Laurence Agrimonti, he entered the room where Gemma was, and
thus assisted at this second phenomenon. 'This is what I saw at that moment,' he wrote afterwards.
'Although her body was deprived of every movement it was most flexible. Her face was like that of a corpse,
her hands as it were contracted in the fingers and the middle of the hand, so that on the palms as well as on
the backs of the hands I saw actual wounds of this size.' And here Father Peter Paul drew an oval figure
about eighteen millimeters in length, and ten in width at the widest point.
Thus a remarkable man was won to Gemma's cause. After being Vice-General of the Passionists, the
Apostolic Visitor to at least twelve dioceses in Italy, Pius X, recognizing his holiness, learning, and prudence,
appointed him Archbishop of Camerino. He saw Gemma on several other occasions, particularly during the
last months of that same year and in 1900 and 1901. He began to study the holy life of the girl more than her
supernatural gifts, and was so edified that later on when he was called upon to give evidence in the
Processes for the Beatification, his long deposition was a splendid panegyric. But between his first visit and
these others, certain things occurred of which we must treat here.
DOUBTING
On the following day Father Peter Paul spoke about the matter to Monsignor Volpi, and five days later sent
him from Florence an account of what he had seen in Gemma. He wrote:
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