Feast: September 23
Early Life
Francesco Forgione, later known to the world as Padre Pio, was born on May 25, 1887, in the humble village of Pietrelcina, southern Italy. His parents, Grazio and Maria Giuseppa, were simple and devout peasants who instilled in him from his earliest days a deep love for God and the Blessed Virgin Mary. From childhood, Francesco exhibited extraordinary piety, preferring prayer over play, and he soon became known for his purity, mortification, and visions of heavenly beings.
Entrance into the Capuchin Order
At the age of fifteen, Francesco entered the Capuchin Franciscan friary, receiving the habit and the name Pio in honor of Pope St. Pius I. He was ordained a priest in 1910. Despite frail health and continual sufferings that afflicted him throughout life, he embraced the priesthood with zeal and an ardent desire to save souls through sacrifice and prayer.
The Stigmata and Mystical Gifts
On September 20, 1918, while praying before the crucifix in the choir loft of his convent in San Giovanni Rotondo, Padre Pio received the visible wounds of Christ — the holy stigmata — in his hands, feet, and side. These wounds, painful yet uninfected, remained with him for fifty years, a silent testimony to his participation in the sufferings of the Crucified Lord.
In addition to the stigmata, he was endowed with other mystical charisms: the gift of bilocation, reading of souls in confession, prophecy, and miraculous healings. Countless penitents flocked to him, sometimes waiting days to confess, for he demanded sincerity and true contrition, guiding souls with both firmness and paternal gentleness.
Spiritual Mission
Padre Pio’s mission was centered on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which he celebrated with such intensity that those present felt they were witnessing anew the mystery of Calvary. His motto, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry,” summarized his profound trust in Divine Providence and his exhortation to perseverance in prayer.
He also founded the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (“House for the Relief of Suffering”), a large hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo, to care for the sick both in body and spirit.
Trials and Obedience
Padre Pio’s sanctity was not without trials. He endured calumnies, false accusations, and even restrictions from ecclesiastical authorities who, in prudence, doubted the supernatural character of his gifts. Yet he submitted humbly and obediently, offering all to God in silence, thus becoming an even greater model of patience and fidelity to Holy Mother Church.
Death and Canonization
After a life wholly consumed in sacrifice, Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968, his last words being “Gesù, Maria!” He was mourned by countless faithful who already venerated him as a saint. His reputation for holiness spread rapidly, and miracles attributed to his intercession abounded.
On June 16, 2002, Pope John Paul II canonized him, presenting Padre Pio to the Church and the world as a shining witness of Christ’s Passion and mercy in the modern age.
Spiritual Legacy
Saint Padre Pio is a patron for those who suffer physically and spiritually, for confessors, and for all seeking deeper union with Christ Crucified. His example teaches that sanctity is found not in extraordinary deeds alone, but in enduring love, prayer, and humble submission to God’s will.
🙏 “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” — St. Padre Pio