"There will be saints among the children!" exclaimed Saint Pius X when he brought forward the age for First Communion. Miracles of grace in the little brothers Rosaria, Giastin and Cosimo Gravina
by Pina Baglioni
The story begins in Germany, in Wupperthal where two young Italians live, Carolina Vigilante and Giuseppe Gravina. They both come from Gravina di Puglia and are there for work. They have recently gotten married and want to start a family. After a few months, Carolina is pregnant, but the baby dies before giving birth, leaving the two young people stunned by grief.
Fortunately, here comes a new pregnancy: Rosaria is born on April 4, 1981, and she is beautiful. Unfortunately, a few months later, the German doctors communicate a dire diagnosis: spinal amyotrophy, a rare disease that attacks the muscles, causes breathing problems and much more.
The Gravinas decide to return to their country, needing the help of their respective families, and in Italy, despite the difficulties and worries for little Rosaria, life goes on. On October 29, 1987, another little girl is born, Giastin. She is the picture of health. She grows well, walks quickly and is always cheerful. Everything seems to be going well, until mother Carolina realizes that something is wrong with Giastin too. And the diagnosis, once again, is terrible: Rosaria's rare pathology has also attacked Giastin.
These extraordinary parents are surprised by the joy and intelligence of their little girls; Rosaria is the light of the house; her sweetness warms the hearts of her parents, grandparents and the many friends who visit them. This little girl is attracted by her great confidence in Jesus. And thanks to these little girls, the Gravina house is a coming and going of people, young and old: friends, parishioners, scout group, priests, nuns...
They go to comfort, they come out comforted.
Giastin, very lively, writes poems; she says that they are only for Jesus. She also paints and in one of her portraits she depicts the Madonna, always leaving the face undefined. "She is too beautiful - she says - The Madonna's face is too beautiful And it cannot be painted. No one on this earth can do it". According to mother Carolina, an event that happened some time before could explain this reluctance. Often and willingly the little girl, during the night, remains uncovered and because of her infirmity is unable to cover herself by herself. And sometimes the mother, dead tired, forgets to do it. One morning, Giastin, all trembling, says: "The Madonna came to pull up the covers for me. You should have seen, she is beautiful."
Meanwhile, on May 9, 1994, Cosimo is born. The routine tests once again give a horrific verdict, despite the doctors' previous reassurances. The decision to give birth to another seriously ill child attracts malicious judgments throughout the country, but Carolina doesn't care: "We have always moved forward calmly, as if they had rolled out a red carpet in front of us."
Cosimo is very intelligent. One day, during a game between mother and children (Rosaria went to heaven in 1996), Giastin suggests giving a name to their guardian angels. "I'll call mine Simpaty," she says. "My Armony," echoes mother Carolina. "Mine is called Pippo!" exclaims Cosimo. From then on, Pippo becomes one of the family. Carolina talks about these fantasies with Don Matteo, a priest friend. During one of his visits to the Gravina family, Cosimo asks him if he also sees his guardian angel. "Unfortunately, no," replies Don Matteo. “Then you’re not that special,” Cosimo replies. Meanwhile, it starts to snow. The priest points this out to the child, explaining that he has to leave, because it’s dangerous to walk around in the snow. Cosimo, in response, tells him that he’ll ask Pippo to accompany him. The priest leaves and, after a while, Cosimo says to his mother: “Everything’s fine, Matteo got home and Pippo came back, but his mouth is all dirty with chocolate.” A week later, Carolina runs into the priest, who asks her about Cosimo. “He’s fine,” she replies and jokingly adds: “But he said that next time you have to give the napkin to Pippo, who came back with his mouth all dirty with chocolate.” Don Matteo turns pale, sits up and says: “You know, the other day, when I got home, there was a jar of Nutella on the table. So, as a joke, I put my finger in it, then I raised it and said: Thanks, Pippo, this is for you.”
What happens in that house is now known throughout the country; even the diocesan bishop wants
understand something and goes to talk to Giastin and Cosimo. The child, not at all intimidated, asks him if he, the bishop, is Jesus. "Ask Pippo," the prelate replies to see his reaction. The child turns and stares at a point in his room, the one where he says Pippo hovers. He turns and replies seriously: "No, you are not Jesus, but when you say Mass and consecrate the host, then you are Jesus." The child was four years old. The prelate is stunned and asks his little brothers what they want as a gift. Giastin and Cosimo answer in unison: they want a priest to come and celebrate Mass at their home at least once a month. From then on, Holy Mass will be celebrated every week at the Gravina home.
A final episode to testify to the Lord's election of the three holy brothers. Giastin passed away on February 21, 2004; during her funeral, one of those present said he had seen the angels take the little girl away, and then hand her over to the Virgin Mary. She then handed her over to Jesus and finally the Son threw her up towards the Father. Carolina was shocked: that was the story she used to tell her children about their arrival in Heaven.