Blessed Elena Aiello

Sister Elena Aiello was born in April, 1895 to Pasquale Aiello and Tereseina Paglilla in Montalto Uffugo. Her father (like his father before him) was a tailor. Her picture here shows as a young novice she was quite beautiful. She became a nun and when she was older she founded a new order, The Sister Minims of The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This order was based on the similar order of Monks founded by Saint Francesco of Paola. Sister Elena and her family were devoted to Saint Francesco (as was my own Grandfather). Sister Elena experienced appararitions of Saint Francesco.

According to her birth record, her full name was Elena Emilia Santa Aiello. She was born April 15, 1895 shortly after the feast of the Province's Patron Saint, Saint Francesco Of Paola. It was also Holy Week preceding Easter. Perhaps that explains Santa (Saint) in her name. Sister Elena began suffering the full stigmata every Good Friday from 1923 until her death. She experienced apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary from 1947 until her death. These visions allowed her the gift of prophecy as the Blessed Virgin showed her visions of the future. She also had apparitions of Jesus, Saint Rita, Saint Francesco Of Paola and other saints.

Sister Elena had 7 brothers and sisters. But so far I have only found the birth acts of 3; Emma born in 1889, Fernando born in 1892, and Evangelina Isabella Rosina born in 1896. Their mother Teresina Paglilla died in 1905.

Sister Elena Aiello was made venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1992.

Elena Aiello's Stigmata

As previously mentioned, Sister Elena began suffering the stigmata every Good Friday from 1923 until her death. This stigmata was the wounds of Christ's passion and included wounds on her hands, feet, head and side. The bleeding from these wounds was profuse. Because it began in 1923 her stigmata was well documented by scientists, doctors, photographs and many witnesses.

In 1955 during her stigmata, her hand hit the wall by her bed and the blood flowed down the wall and formed the Face of Jesus Christ. This image bled profusely on its own from September 29th continuously until October 13th 1955. After that date it returned sporadically until Sister Elena's death in 1961.

Sister Elena's Prophesies

Sister Elena began having apparitions of The Blessed Mother. During these apparitions The Blessed Mother would tell Sister Elena things that might happen in the future if people did not amend their sinful ways. Many of her prophesies were apocolyptic in nature. Below are the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Sister Elena during one of these apparitions.

"My Heart is sad for so many sufferings in an impending world in ruin . . . The wrath of God is near. Soon the world will be afflicted with great calamities, bloody revolutions, frightful hurricanes and the overflowing of rivers and the seas . . . the world will be overturned in a new and more terrible war. Arms most deadly will destroy peoples and nations. The dictators of the earth, specimens infernal, will demolish the churches and desecrate the Holy Eucharist, and will destroy things most dear. In this impious war, much will be destroyed of that which has been built by the hands of man ..."

In 1940, Sister Elena received a message from Jesus and was asked to deliver this message to Premier Benito Mussolini. The message for Mr. Mussolini was not to join forces with Hitler in World War II. If this warning is not heeded Italy would suffer a terrible defeat and Mussolini would be punished and the result would be his total defeat and downfall.

The Family Of Elena Aiello

Although the information I currently have on Elena Aiello's family tree is currently very incomplete, I will continue to add new discoveries as I find them. Continue to the genealogy of Elena Aiello here.

Continue to the genealogy of Elena Aiello here. Or read about San Francesco di Paola on our sister site Calabrian Genealogy here.