Padre Pio is among the most popular saints of the 20th century. Millions of pilgrims still travel to San Giovanni Rotondo in southern Italy today.
Who was Padre Pio of Pietrelcina?
Francesco Forgione was born on 25 May 1887 in Pietrelcina. He joined the Capuchins in 1903 and received the name Pio. He was ordained a priest in 1910. From 1916 he lived in the friary at San Giovanni Rotondo, where he spent a large part of his time in the confessional and celebrating Mass.
He founded the hospital “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” (Home for the Relief of Suffering), which opened in 1956. Padre Pio died on 23 September 1968. Pope John Paul II canonised him on 16 June 2002.
Legend and tradition
Padre Pio is said to have received the wounds of Christ, the stigmata, in 1918. During his lifetime there were investigations and controversial discussions about this. The stigmata are not an article of faith; for the canonisation the Church examined his life and virtues. Reports of miracles and bilocation are testimonies of his devotees, not articles of faith.
Feast day
The feast day of St Pio is 23 September, the day of his death in 1968. Regional and denominational calendars may differ.
Patronage
- Civil defence volunteers in Italy
- In popular devotion: confessors and the sick
“Patron saint” means that people ask this saint to intercede for them with God. No guarantee or promise of miracles is attached to it.
Attributes and depiction
Padre Pio appears in the brown Capuchin habit, with a white beard and fingerless gloves that covered the wounds on his hands.
A short prayer
St Padre Pio, you listened to people and gave them comfort. Pray for the sick and for all who carry a burden. Teach us to seek God’s will in everyday life. Amen.
A simple prayer in our own words, to pray along.
Customs
Prayer groups that invoke Padre Pio exist in many countries. On 23 September they celebrate his feast day. Pilgrims visit his tomb in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Today
Padre Pio is an example of a saint who worked above all through the confessional conversation: he often listened for many hours a day. That makes him, even today, a figure to look to for people who want to be there for others. The Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza shows that his piety became practical. Those who venerate him often carry a small picture or a medal with them or hang a picture in the living room.
Matching items at LUNEXUS
- St Padre Pio – hand-carved wooden statue from South Tyrol
- Dark brown wooden rosary with St Benedict cross 50 cm – blessed
- Haematite rosary with St Benedict cross 50 cm – blessed
Padre Pio prayed many rosaries every day and recommended this prayer to everyone who came to him.
The wooden statues from our woodcarving workshop are hand-carved in Val Gardena (South Tyrol) and come directly from the workshop: delivery time approx. 3–4 weeks, insured shipping to Germany and Austria only (€6.90). The statues are not blessed in our warehouse, and the 14-day statutory right of withdrawal applies to them.
Many, but not all, of our items are blessed in our own warehouse by a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Fulda. A business-card-sized certificate card showing the date of the blessing is then enclosed; whether an item is blessed is stated in its title or description. Shipped via Amazon's logistics network – free within Germany, €5.90 to Austria and France; Italy €6.90, Spain €6.90. Returns are possible within 30 days.
More to choose from: rosaries and all patron saints. Parishes and groups will find an offer on request on the quantity discount page (does not apply to wooden statues from the woodcarving workshop).
Keep reading in the magazine: How to pray the rosary: guide and mysteries
Frequently asked questions
When is Padre Pio’s feast day?
On 23 September, the day of his death.
What are the stigmata?
Wounds that correspond to those of Jesus on the cross. Padre Pio is said to have borne them from 1918.
When was Padre Pio canonised?
On 16 June 2002, by Pope John Paul II.
Sources: General Roman Calendar, Martyrologium Romanum and Church reference works. We flag legends as such; prayers are, unless stated otherwise, our own simple wording. Compiled by Denis & Belinda, as of October 2026.
