Saints of the Week

Saint Padre Pio 

Virtue: Prayer 

Feast Day: 23rd September 

Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy, into a simple

 peasant family. At the age of 15, he entered the Capuchin Franciscan Friars, and was ordained a priest in 1910. 

After celebrating morning mass on September 20 1918, during his prayer of thanksgiving before the crucifix, Padre Pio received the “Stigmata” . His hands, feet and side were pierced with the nail marks and the lance wound of the crucified Christ. Doctors estimated that for the next 50 years he lost a cup of blood every day. His five wounds were deep, bleeding, and painful, but completely free of inflammation and swelling. 

News of his holiness spread rapidly; millions of people attended his masses. People waited as much as two weeks to have him hear their confessions, for they perceived in Padre Pio the true heart and souls of the Gospels, expressed in a simple and uncomplicated manner. 

Padre Pio was called to his heavenly reward on September 23 1968. Today his tomb is the most visited shrine in Europe.