Who was Padre Pio?
St. Padre Pio is an example to us of what radical trust in God’s love for us looks like, despite the suffering he endured and battles he faced throughout his life.
Childhood and vocation
Born May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy, as Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio devoted himself to God at a very young age. Diaries from Francesco’s spiritual director note that Francesco began to experience ecstasies and apparitions as early as age 4 or 5. Francesco, however, didn’t realize that these were extraordinary experiences; he kept many of them to himself, thinking they were ordinary. Through more and more visions and encounters with the healing work of God, Francesco’s trust in Him only continued to grow, though his early life was certainly not without struggle.
Ultimately, Francesco became a Capuchin Friar in January 1903 at the age of 16. At this beginning point of his religious life, Francesco Forgione became Brother Pio of Pietrelcina.
[This is a very brief overview of Pio’s childhood and vocation. Join the Padre Pio: Saints in 7 Days Challenge on Hallow and learn more about Pio’s early life and miracles.]
Ordination
After entering the Capuchins, Pio progressively became sick and ill. His stomach refused food, and he was only able to drink minimal amounts of water. He left the monastery and moved back home at the recommendation of his doctors, but his health was still poor. With little hope of improvement of his health, Pio most desired to be ordained. Though he was quite young for ordination, the bishop ordained Pio on August 10, 1910. At 23, Brother Pio became Father Pio, or in Italian, Padre Pio, as we know him today.
Drafted during World War I, Pio discovered he had tuberculosis. Discharged from serving, Pio eventually moved to a different Capuchin Monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo in 1917, where he grew his ministry and lived until his death on September 23, 1968.
Stigmata
In 1918, Europe was ravaged by World War I and the Spanish flu. It was a year of suffering for Pio, his community, and Europe. Amidst this suffering of the world, one day in September, Padre Pio said Mass at San Giovanni Rotondo. Afterward, he received a miraculous vision: he saw someone with Christ’s crucifixion wounds. After the vision, Pio realized he was physically dripping with blood – he had received the stigmata. Stigmata are the five wounds of Christ replicated in the human body. Around 400 people, including St. Francis of Assisi and St. Catherine of Siena, have claimed to have received the stigmata.
Upon receiving the stigmata, Pio tried to keep it a secret, though word spread about his reception of Christ’s wounds. This led to much interest and controversy.
[Learn more about Pio’s stigmata and what the Church thought of it by listening to Chapter 4 of the Padre Pio: Saints in 7 Days Challenge on Hallow.]
Canonization
In addition to the miracle of the stigmata that he experienced, God worked through Padre Pio to perform hundreds and hundreds of miracles on others throughout his lifetime – curing people of all kinds of sicknesses. Pio even founded a hospital near San Giovanni Rotondo called “Casa Sollieve della Sofferenza,” or the “Home for the Relief of Suffering” in 1956. The hospital still operates today and houses up to 1,000 patients. He also was known for his spiritual counseling to those seeking reconciliation.
Pio passed away in 1968, was beatified in 1999, and soon canonized in 2002 by Pope, now Saint, John Paul II.
We celebrate the Feast Day of Padre Pio on the anniversary of his death, September 23rd.
Why pray with Padre Pio?
On the day of Pio’s canonization, Pope Saint John Paul II delivered a beautiful homily on Pio’s life and his inspiration to us in our own journey with God. In his description of Pio’s inspiring humility and piety, JPII guides us to three ways to emulate the saint and reasons for us to seek his intercession: to bear the yoke of Christ, to be a person of prayer, and to love others mercifully.
To bear the yoke of Christ
“The evangelical image of the “yoke” recalls the many trials that the humble Capuchin of San Giovanni Rotondo had to face. Today we contemplate in him how gentle the “yoke” of Christ is, and how truly light is his burden when it is borne with faithful love. The life and mission of Padre Pio prove that difficulties and sorrows, if accepted out of love, are transformed into a privileged way of holiness, which opens onto the horizons of a greater good, known only to the Lord.” – JPII
Drawing from the Gospel of Matthew, JPII shared with us that Pio carried his many burdens – sickness, the stigmata, questioning from the Church – with love for Christ. He found a way to draw near to Christ in his suffering. As human beings ourselves, we know how challenging this is, and JPII recognized this. He encouraged us to consider how faith can help us make easy our yoke and lighten our burdens, though this takes tremendous courage – courage that we see in meditating on the life of Padre Pio.
To truly become a person of prayer
“In fact, the ultimate reason for the apostolic effectiveness of Padre Pio, the profound root of so much spiritual fruitfulness can be found in that intimate and constant union with God, attested to by his long hours spent in prayer and in the confessional. He loved to repeat, “I am a poor Franciscan who prays” convinced that “prayer is the best weapon we have, a key that opens the heart of God.” – JPII
In the homily, JPII shed light on Pio’s humble spirit rooted in prayer. Even throughout his life of suffering and sickness, Padre Pio also famously said, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” Pio inspires us to draw closer to God in our daily lives even through our challenges.
To love others mercifully
“Padre Pio was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making himself available to all by welcoming them, by spiritual direction and, especially, by the administration of the sacrament of Penance.” – JPII
JPII recognized Pio as a vessel for God’s love in his lifetime on earth. From his founding of a hospital to the hours he spent counseling others and the many miracles attributed to him, Pio’s life inspires us to recognize our own gifts and discover ways to love others in daily life and across our lifetimes.
