Padre Pio (25 May 1887 – 23 September 1968), was an Italian Franciscan Capuchin friar, priest, stigmatist, and mystic. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, celebrated on 23 September.
Padre Pio became famous for exhibiting stigmata for most of his life, thereby generating much interest and controversy. He was both beatified in 1999 and canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II. The Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina is located in San Giovanni Rotondo, Province of Foggia, Italy.
Life[]
Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione in 1887, the son of Italian farmers. In 1903, he decided to join the priesthood. In 1910, he was ordained at the age of twenty-three. On the morning of September 20, 1918, he was deep in prayer when he experienced an "ecstasy" or a profound vision of Jesus that left tangible evidence behind. After the vision ended, he noticed that his hands, feet, and side were bleeding. These wounds are considered "stigmata" and are believed to correspond with the wounds that Jesus received while on the cross.
From the start, some church officials doubted Padre Pio's claims. They suspected that the wounds had been self-inflicted, so they called in doctors to examine them. One of the doctors conducted an experiment: he asked the friars to bandage the wounds and seal them for eight days. When the bandages were removed, there were no signs of healing. This suggested that Padre Pio's claims were legitimate.
As word spread about his stigmata and vision, pilgrims began to come to San Giovanni Rotondo, anxious to be blessed by Padre Pio. Due to both positive and negative publicity, the church sent him to an internal exile. This prevented him from appearing in public and completing his priestly duties. After three years, the exile ended and he was returned to his position. However, he was not allowed to show his stigmata in public.
As the years passed, Padre Pio began to have an international reputation as a man of miracles. Thousands of people came to him, seeking divine intervention for their afflictions. Among them were Vera and Barta Calandra of Bartel, Pennsylvania, who asked him to bless their ill daughter, Vera Marie. The Calandras believe that she is alive to day thanks to Padre Pio.
On September 23, 1968, Padre Pio passed away; during the final days of his life, his stigmata finally healed. After his death, the Calandras founded the National Center for Padre Pio. The organization has worked hundreds of people who are believed to have been healed by Padre Pio, even after his death.