After the homily on December 8, 2024, Fr. Marco announced to us that Fra Elia wanted to build a shrine. Finally the time has come! I thought. I was not surprised at this announcement, remembering perfectly what Fra Elia had told me many years before, at the ‘beginning of his mission, and which I had reported in my second book.
One evening in December 2001, between trips to northern Italy in search of a convent and meetings with people, in the increasingly rare moments of relaxation, Fra Elia and I were supposed to be organizing the New Year’s engagements. But He had something more important to tell me–he already knew what was coming soon and even told me about his future spiritual norm based simply on the word of Jesus Christ. He read some gospel passages…
Before ascending to heaven Jesus said to his Apostles, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
Behold, I am with you all days until the end of the world” (Mt 28.18). In confirmation of this, and in unison with Matthew’s account, Luke writes, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; therefore he has anointed me, and sent me to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to preach a year of the Lord’s favor. Jesus then called the 12 to himself and gave them authority over all demons and to cure diseases. And he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 4.18:9,1).

He said, “I, like Fra Elia of the Apostles of God, have received the word of the Lord in my heart … as addressed to me … to my brothers, spiritual sons and daughters to come, for the good of souls and service in our Mother Church. The charity that we will offer to the needy in body and spirit whom the Lord sends to us and makes us meet, in need of being healed and enlightened by his word, is implementation of God’s will…” (A few months later Fra Elia recounted these wills to his spiritual father who translated the account into the Rule of the future congregation of the Apostles of God).
He also showed me a prototype of a beautiful miniature Armenian church, meticulously constructed of iron, with domes and beautiful portals. “Do you see it?…I found this little church on the ground next to the garbage dumpster…as you see it is perfect in all its details…I picked it up as if it were meant for me…someday I will have a similar one built…it will be in the shape of a domed cross with three domes like this one…underneath which the Blessed Sacrament will be placed in great relief. Under it will flow a stream of running water that will run through the whole church, living water that gives itself, that nourishes with eternal life, quenching all souls and healing them of all their spiritual and physical ills….” Then smiling he continued, “I don’t know if I will be able to see it finished…but I will have to at least start it…what do you say?” “If this is God’s plan, you will certainly be able to finish it as well…,” I replied immediately convinced….
He said, “In the meantime, I think that to begin what the Lord wants of me, I will soon find a house with a church next to it…He will also make me find water….” And I meanwhile was taking notes.