Padre Pio called the devil 'cosaccio' (whatsit) (plural cosacci). At times he had a real name 'Barbablu'.
"Satan reigns over the world."
"The devil wants me for himself at all costs".
"The devil is trying to snatch me from the arms of Jesus".
"The name of the devil is 'I, I do, I can, I'm able to, I, I, I.' This is the devil."
"What comes from Satan begins with calmness and ends in storm, indifference and apathy."
"Do not let the infernal beast frighten you. God will fight it with you and for you."
"If the devil makes noise it's a very good sign. What's terrifying is his peace."
The devils assaulted Padre Pio almost daily.
"The human soul is the battlefield between God and Satan."
"The devil is like a rabid dog tied to a chain; beyond the length of the chain he cannot seize anyone.
And you: keep at a distance. If you approach too near, you let yourself be caught."
In Venafro a likely Padre Agostino entered Padre Pio's cell. 'I'm here to confess you'. Suspecting something fishy, Padre Pio said:
"Repeat after me Long Live Jesus". The devil screamed 'No!' and disappeared.
Father Francesco was about to leave Padre Pio's cell. "Don't leave, otherwise the devils (cosacci) come."
He left after awhile but while few steps away he heard a terrible noise, and came back. Padre Pio had been assaulted.
Opening the letters from his spiritual director Padre Agostino at times they were all blank.
He would put some holy water on them and the writing could be seen again.
"Barbablu' made it invisible so that it couldn't be read."
Padre Pio was beaten by the devils many times
August 9, 1912, in a letter to Padre Agostino: 'Barbablu' prevents me from writing to you. Every time I try, I get a terrible headache, and the arm is paralyzed and I can't hold the pen in my hand."
December 3, 1912, in a letter to Padre Agostino: "I received you letter on November 29.
It only contained a blank page. It must have been the 'cosaccio'."
In a letter to father Benedetto on June 3, 1919:
"I don't have a free minute. All my time is spent in tearing my brothers from the clutches of satan."
Because Padre Pio's health was not good, on October 1911, after a physical examination by dr. Antonio Cardarelli in Naples,
he was sent by his Superiors to Venafro for convalescence.
According to the diagnosis of the celebrated physician, the young friar's days were numbered, and he couldn't travel long distances,
which is why he was sent to Venafro, location of the closest convent.
During the month and a half stay in that convent, the community noticed the first supernatural phenomena:
divine ecstasies lasting up to one hour, and diabolic apparitions lasting a few minutes.
In Venafro, from Fr. Agostino's diary: 'Starting in November 1911, I was present with Fr. Evangelista, the superior of the monastery,
for a considerable number of ecstasies, and many instances of demonic oppression."
"Satan would appear as a nude woman dancing lewdly, as is spiritual father, as his superior, pope Pius X, his guardian angel, St. Francis, the Virgin Mary, and also as the horrible self, with an army of demonic spirits.
At times there were no apparitions but he was beaten until he bled, tormented with deafening noises, covered with spit.
He was able to free himself from the torments by calling on the name of Jesus."
The devils to Padre Pio: "You bothers us more than Saint Michel". "If you don't snatch souls from us we will not bother you."
In 1964 Padre Pio was assaulted by the devil who gave him a terrible blow on the spine, and he fell, and had a black eye and swollen face.
One night Padre Alessio was in charge of Padre Pio's needs. Padre Pio called him on the buzzer, but when he came he just smiled without saying a word.
This happened for three times. The fourth time Padre Alessio asked why he was calling him for no apparent reason. Padre Pio:
"Please my son, sit there on my armchair and stay here with me, because the devils won't leave me in peace for a second."