Feast day is celebrated on September 23rd
Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, also known as Padre Pio, was an Italian Catholic priest and mystic. He was born on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy, and died on September 23, 1968, in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. He is revered as one of the most popular and venerated saints of the 20th century.
Padre Pio was known for his deep spirituality, devotion to God, and his stigmata, which are the wounds of Jesus Christ on his hands, feet, and side. These wounds became visible on his body, and they caused him immense physical pain. Despite this suffering, he remained dedicated to his faith and spent countless hours in prayer and service to others.
Throughout his life, Padre Pio displayed exceptional gifts, such as the ability to read hearts, bilocation (being in two places at once), and the power to heal both physical and spiritual ailments. Many people sought his guidance, miracles, and blessings, and his reputation for holiness spread far and wide.
Padre Pio also founded the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (Home for the Relief of Suffering), a hospital that provided medical care to those in need. He saw this as an opportunity to serve Christ in his suffering brothers and sisters.
He was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002. Saint Pio's feast day is celebrated on September 23rd each year. He is considered a model of humility, selflessness, and intense devotion to God, and he continues to inspire millions of people around the world.
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