"Another of Padre Pio's stories, which he used to lighten the mood of the people in the aftermath of the Second World War:
There was a man who would often complain to everyone he knew about politics, about the cheating and scheming, and the corruption of the government.
— Ah, if Mussolini was here! If only he was alive, I'd do anything to talk to him about what happened to our political landscape after him!
One day, he heard a loud voice, although he didn't see who it came from.
— If you want to talk to Mussolini, follow that road, follow the staircase and knock on the door. You'll get what you want.
The man saw a small road and, following it, found an abandoned staircase full of thorns and had a hard time knocking, since it was made of hot steel. A very ugly face appeared in a small opening.
– What do you want here? Don't you know these doors cannot be crossed by the body, but only by the spirit?
— I'm after Benito Mussolini.
— Get out, there's nobody of this name here.
The ugly face slammed the door shut, and man then followed the road, that got even smaller, and arrived at a marble staircase. He knocked on the fine wooden door, and an angelic face came to meet him.
– What do you seek? These doors are not supposed to be crossed by the body, but only by the spirit.
— I'm after Benito Mussolini.
— He's not here. Try asking further on the road.
The angelic man closed the door, and the man followed the road even further, until he found a golden staircase, embellished with velvet, and arrived at a semi opened gate, and peeked a verdant field of wonders. An old friendly man came to meet him. It was Saint Peter.
– What do you want here? Don't you know these doors cannot be crossed by the body, but only by the spirit?
— I'm after Mussolini. I have been to hell and purgatory, and they told me to ask here.
Saint Peter looked at his registry.
— Okay, let's look at the records. Who is this Mussolini you look for?
— Benito, Benito Mussolini. The Duce of Fascism.
Saint Peter smiled.
— Ah, the one who lived in Rome! He's not here yet. We have allowed him to live in the hearts of all italians for a little longer."
– Renzo Allegri 🇮🇹 | Padre Pio, un Santo tra Noi (1998)
