The Mystery of Bilocation in the Lives of Catholic Saints

Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, the lives of our many Saints have borne witness to extraordinary and unique signs of God’s presence and power.  Among the most mysterious of these phenomena is Bilocation - the reported ability of certain people to be present in two different places at the same time.  While one may struggle with such accounts, Bilocation has been well-documented in the lives of several Saints and holy individuals, often corroborated by reliable witnesses and ecclesiastical investigations.  Far from being magical feats, these occurrences are understood by the Church as charisms, or gratuitous gifts of God, granted for the salvation of souls and the building up of the Mystical Body of Christ.

Bilocation in Catholic Theology

In Catholic mysticism, Bilocation is not viewed as a natural human ability, nor as something a person can do at will.  Rather, it is considered an extraordinary mystical charism permitted by God, usually in moments of great spiritual need.  The Church teaches that God, who is omnipotent and not bound by space or time, may allow certain individuals to participate momentarily in His divine action for a specific purpose.  As such, bilocation does not contradict reason or faith, though it transcends ordinary experience.

Still, importantly, the Church approaches claims of Bilocation with caution.  Such phenomena are never the basis for Canonization on their own; instead, they are examined alongside a candidate’s heroic virtue, orthodoxy, humility, and obedience.  Authentic Bilocation is typically marked by profound charity, spiritual fruit, and a complete absence of self-promotion.  The following are some of the most well-known and best documented cases of the phenomenon:

St. Anthony of Padua (d. 1231)

A Saint commonly associated with bilocation is this renowned preacher and Doctor of the Church.  One account describes Anthony entering into ecstasy in a church, in full view of the congregation, while simultaneously being seen/heard preaching to a large crowd in a different church.  Still, in another case, he reportedly bilocated to Lisbon, Portugal, to defend his own father in court against false charges.  These events occurred in the context of his tireless preaching against heresy and moral corruption.

St. Francis Xavier (d. 1552)

The great Jesuit missionary St. Francis Xavier was reported by contemporaries to have appeared simultaneously in multiple villages across Asia while evangelizing India and Japan.  Some witnesses claimed to have received instruction or encouragement from Xavier in places where historical records show he could not have been physically present.

These accounts arose in the context of intense missionary labor, where vast distances and limited communication made such reports all the more striking.  The purpose of these alleged bilocations was consistently pastoral: preaching the Gospel, strengthening the faithful, and calling souls to repentance.

St. Martin de Porres (d. 1639)

Known for his humility and love for the poor, this great Peruvian holy man was said to have bilocated to Africa, China, Japan, and the Philippines while never leaving his Dominican monastery in Lima.  Fellow friars also testified that Martin would suddenly appear in locked rooms to minister to the sick, while being engaged in his daily chores elsewhere in the monastery.  Furthermore, he sometimes made specific comments about personally witnessing certain practices in far-off lands - especially medical procedures that he performed, himself - despite not having once left Peru.

What is particularly notable in St. Martin’s case is that witnesses in those distant places later described a dark-skinned Dominican friar matching his appearance who spoke to them of Christ - despite no missionaries being present at the time.

Venerable Maria de Jesus of Agreda (d. 1665)

Astounding incidences of bilocation are also recorded in the remarkable life of this Spanish Franciscan Conceptionist nun.  Incredibly, between 1621 to 1631, she was said to have been sent by our Lord, over 500 times, to parts of the southwest region of the USA to prepare the native inhabitants for the imminent arrival of the Spanish missionaries.  She would descend from the sky to teach them basic catechism, and became so familiar amongst the people, that they named her the "Lady in Blue" (her nuns wear a sky blue mantle).

Maria relayed her mystical travels to her Franciscan confessor, who in turn, reported them to his superiors, which sparked an investigation by the Franciscan field missionary, Fray Alonso de Benevides.  The friar documented how his missionary team had on several occasions been surprised by bands of Indians seeking them out for baptism after being instructed to do so by the Lady in Blue.  Fray Alonso later learned about Sr. Maria of Jesus and went to see her upon returning to Spain.  He questioned her about the native people, their customs, and the terrain of the new world to which the nun answered with such accuracy, it left no doubt in the missionary's mind that Sr. Maria was indeed the mysterious lady of whom the Indians told him about.

St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori (d. 1787)

A case involving St. Alphonsus, Doctor of the Church and founder of the Redemptorists, occurred in 1774.  While gravely ill and confined to his bed in Arienzo, Italy, Alphonsus was reportedly seen in Rome assisting Pope Clement XIV while the Pontiff lay on his deathbed.  Multiple witnesses, including members of the papal household, testified to seeing Alphonsus present and interacting with the dying Pope.

When questioned later, St. Alphonsus had no recollection of physically traveling to Rome but described experiencing an intense ecstasy at the time.  Church authorities carefully investigated the incident, and the testimonies were deemed credible.  This case remains one of the strongest historical examples of bilocation recognized by the Church.

St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (d. 1968)

Perhaps the most widely known modern saint associated with bilocation is Padre Pio, the famous Capuchin friar marked by the stigmata.  Numerous accounts - some from military officers, physicians, and fellow clergy - report Padre Pio appearing in distant locations while physically remaining in his friary in San Giovanni Rotondo.

During World War II, numerous Allied pilots claimed that a friar resembling Padre Pio appeared in the sky over Italy, preventing them from bombing certain towns. In another instance, Padre Pio was reportedly seen hearing confessions or offering spiritual counsel in places he had never physically visited.  When asked about these occurrences, he responded with humility and discretion, often deflecting attention away from himself.  In at least one case, a bilocation to a woman in Wisconsin, the Saint even placed his stigmatized hand on her bedsheet to leave a bloodstain, as proof of his physical presence!

Servant of God, Natuzza Evolu (d. 1997)

Lastly, this humble peasant woman is amongst the most gifted of modern mystics whose numerous bilocations have been attested to by dozens of witnesses who have benefitted from her ministry.  She was an approved Marian visionary and Stigmatic who was often sent by the Lord to various destinations to heal, counsel, or perform important acts of charity while at the same time remaining in her home in Calabria.

The list of mystics compiled above is by no means complete - other names of bilocating mystics include Bl. Agnes of Jesus; Bl. Alexandrina Maria da Costa; Bl. Ana of Monteagudo; St. Angelo of Acri; Bl. Anna Katherina Emmerich; Bl. Anna Rosa Gattorno; St. Anna Schaffer; Antonio Ruffini; Little Audrey Marie Santo; Bl. Beatrice of Kochem; St. Benedict Joseph Labre; Bl. Bernardo of Offida; St. Catherine dei Ricci; St. Colette of Corbie; Ven. Domenica Lazzeri; Bl. Edvige Carboni; Bl. Esperanza of Jesus; St. Faustina Kowalska; St. Gaetano Errico; St. Gerard Majella; Bl. Giovanna of Orvieto; Joseph Thamby; St. Lydwina of Scheidam; Maria Tartaglino; Sr. Maria de Jesus de Leon Bello y Delgado; Madre Maria Candida de San Augustin; Madre Maria de los Dolores y Patrocinio; Maria Esperanza Bianchini of Betania;  Bl. Maria Pilar Izquierdo Albero; Maria Teresa Carloni; Marie Julie Jahenny; Sr. Marie Marguerite of the Angels; Marie Marthe Vandeputte; Marie Rose Ferron; Madre Passitea Crogi; St. Paul of the Cross; Rafaela Leonetti; Ramona Maria Llimargas Soler; Sr. Rita Montella; Madre Teresa Solari; Teresa Helena Higginson; Therese Neumann; Sr. Ursula Micaela Morata; St. Vincent Pallotti; and Sr. Yvonne Aimee de Malestroit.

Captured on Camera?

Obviously, in the cases of early bilocating mystics, Church investigations could only rely on sworn testimonies from witnesses, many of whom possessed characters beyond reproach and/or had nothing to gain from lying (e.g. St. Philip Neri vouched for the bilocation visits made to him by St. Catherine dei Ricci).  However, the advent of photography, has dramatically changed how we record events, including alleged miracles.  The bilocations of at least two modern mystics were visibly documented - see below:

ABOVE:  Leonie Van Den Dijck, the Marian visionary & Stigmatic of

Onkerzele, Belgium, appeared in this photo with her granddaughter

despite not being with her at the time the photo was taken.

BELOW:  Capuchin Mystic & Stigmatic, Fr. Domenico of Cese was

captured on film footage at St. Padre Pio's funeral in San Giovanni

Rotondo, while simultaneously meeting with pilgrims at the

Holy Face Shrine in Manopello.

Discernment and Spiritual Meaning

The Church emphasizes that such extraordinary gifts must never distract from the heart of the Christian life: holiness, charity, and union with Christ.  Saints themselves often viewed these phenomena as burdens rather than honors.  Authentic mystics consistently demonstrated obedience to Church authority, deep humility, and a desire to remain hidden.

Bilocation, when genuine, serves as a sign, not an end in itself.  It points to God’s sovereignty, His closeness to human suffering, and His ability to act beyond the limits of nature.  As St. Paul reminds us, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4).

Conclusion

The accounts of Bilocation in the lives of Catholic Saints invite believers not merely to marvel at the miraculous, but to reflect on the nearness of God and the radical availability of those who surrender themselves entirely to His will.  These Saints remind us that holiness transcends space and time - not through human power, but through divine grace.  Ultimately, Bilocation stands as a testimony to the truth that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).