Reliquary of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina.

Reliquary of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina.

certified by POSTULATOR GENERALIS.

Romae 1999

Francesco Forgione, OFM Cap., better known as Padre Pio and as Saint Pius of Pietrelcina (Italian: Pio da Pietrelcina; 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.