Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, more commonly known as Padre Pio, a Capuchin priest who bore the stigmata, served as confessor, spiritual director, and intercessor for many.
The liturgy invites us to unite in prayer, sharing in both his example of holiness, suffering embraced in love, and his ministry of grace.
Prayer of the Day
Collect for the Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
Almighty ever-living God, who, by a singular grace, gave the Priest Saint Pius a share in the Cross of your Son and, by means of his ministry, renewed the wonders of your mercy, grant that through his intercession we may be united constantly to the sufferings of Christ, and so brought happily to the glory of the resurrection.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.AMEN
Mass Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ezra 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 122: 1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5 (“Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord”)
Gospel: Luke 8:19-21 (“My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”)
Saint of the Day: St. Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
Francesco Forgione was born on May 25, 1887, in the quiet village of Pietrelcina, southern Italy. From an early age, his heart burned with a deep love for God. While other children played in the streets, young Francesco often knelt before the small village church, whispering prayers with unusual devotion. His family, though poor, nurtured his faith, and by the time he was fifteen, he felt God’s call strongly enough to enter the Capuchin friars. When he put on the brown habit, he took a new name: Pius, or Padre Pio.
In 1910, at just twenty-three years old, Pio was ordained a priest. His fragile health often left him weak, and for a time he even returned home to recover. Yet God had a mysterious plan. In 1918, as he prayed in the choir loft after celebrating Mass, a vision of the crucified Christ appeared before him. When the vision faded, Pio realized something extraordinary had happened: the wounds of Christ—the stigmata—now marked his own hands, feet, and side. For the rest of his life, he bore these wounds, often hidden under gloves, yet they bled and caused him great pain.
Despite this suffering, Padre Pio devoted himself to prayer, the Mass, and the confessional. Pilgrims began to flock to San Giovanni Rotondo, where he lived, because they believed this humble friar could read hearts, heal the sick, and bring souls back to God. Stories spread of his long hours in the confessional, of visions, bilocations, and other mysterious gifts. Yet what struck people most was his simplicity: he was a man of prayer, a man of the Eucharist, and a man of compassion for the suffering.
His love for the sick and poor inspired him to build the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza—the House for the Relief of Suffering—a hospital that opened in 1956 and still stands today as a testament to his vision of mercy.
On September 23, 1968, after more than fifty years of carrying the stigmata, Padre Pio quietly passed away, his last words being “Jesus, Mary.” He was mourned by thousands who had seen in him a living image of Christ crucified. In 2002, Pope John Paul II canonized him a saint, recognizing him as a modern witness to the power of prayer, sacrifice, and trust in God.
10 Facts about St. Pius of Pietrelcina (“Padre Pio”)
1. Full Birth Name: Francesco Forgione. He adopted the religious name “Pio” (Pius) when he joined the Capuchins.
2. Early Vocation & Joining Religious Life: He entered the Capuchin novitiate in his mid-teens.
3. Ordained Priest in 1910: After studies and formation.
4. Stigmata: He received the stigmata (wounds of the crucified Christ) in 1918 during prayer before a crucifix. These wounds were visible, bled, and lasted about fifty years.
5. Mystical Gifts: He was reputed to have several extraordinary gifts: bilocation (being in two places), healing, discernment of hearts, levitation in prayer.
6. Confessor and Spiritual Director: Many saw him for confession; people waited long hours. He considered this an important ministry.
7. Service during Suffering: Although he suffered poor health himself (e.g. tuberculosis, stomach ailments), he continued in his ministry.
8. Hospital Founder: He founded the “House for the Relief of Suffering” in 1956, to take care of the sick, both body and soul.
9. Canonization: Beatified May 2, 1999; canonized June 16, 2002 by Pope John Paul II.
10. Patronages and Devotion: He is a beloved saint worldwide; his tomb is a major pilgrimage site. He’s often invoked in prayers for suffering, illness, confession, and perseverance. His life is a witness to the power of uniting suffering to Christ.
