PADRE PIO OF PIETRELCINA
A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Padre Pio, in the world Francesco Forgione, was born at Pietrelcina, a small town of Sannio in the province of Benevento, on May 25.th 1887, of Grazio Forgione and Maria Giuseppa Di Nunzio. At the age of 16, he saw in a vision his future life and decided about entering into noviciate as a Capuchin friar at Morcone, where on January 22.nd next year, he was dressed in the Franciscan habit with the name of friar Pio.

He went to Sant'Elia a Pianisi for grammar school and to San Marco la Catola to study philosophy. On January 27.th 1907, friar Pio took his solemn vows and reached Serracapriola to study theology under the guidance of father Agostino, his spiritual director together with the Provincial father Benedetto, both of them from San Marco in Lamis.

He goes on studying philosophy at Montefusco and in December 1908, in Benevento, he takes minor orders and subdeaconate. During all this time he is afflicted with an inexplicable and painful illness which will keep him far from the Capuchin community for long periods.

On August 10.th 1910, in the Dome of Benevento friar Pio is consacrated priest by Mgr.Paolo Schinosi, the Archbishop of Marcianapoli. On August 14.th, he says his first solemn Mass in Pietrelcina.

In 1911, during his short stay at Venafro, he undergoes many medical examinations in Naples. But his health collapses and so he has to go back to Pietrelcina, where he remains to help his parish priest.

On November 6.th 1915, Padre PIO is called up for military service at the recruiting centre of Benevento, but a few days later he went back home on sick leave.

Three months later his superiors sent him to the Monastery of Sant'Anna in Foggia. He stays here up to 28 July, when to avoid the summer saultry weather of the Tavoliere of Apulia, he is taken for the first time to the friary of San Giovanni Rotondo.
. On the Gargano he stopped a week during which he felt a great physical relief.

For two years he goes on wearing the military uniform with long intervals of sick leaves.
In this period he visits the shrine of Pompei and the city of Rome where he went to accompany his sister Graziella who became a Brigidine sister.
On March 16.th 1918, Padre Pio is dismissed from military service because of a double broncho-alveolitis and goes back for ever to the friary of San Giovanni Rotondo.

In the month of August a mysterious heavenly Personage transfixes his heart with a lance opening a wound which bleeds continually: it's the transverberation.

The following 20 September, he again sees the mysterious Personage streaming with blood and finds himself with wounds on his hands, on his feet and on his chest. Padre Pio starts this day having on his body the visible signs of Christ's Passion, the stigmata which will mysteriously disappear at his death, on 23 September 1968.

The news of stigmatization spreads all over Italy and thousands of pilgrims travel to the Gargano mountain attracted by his many charisma.

On May 15.th 1919, the series of medical examinations starts. The first is professor Luigi Romanelli, head physician of Barletta Hospital, followed by professor Amico Bignami, the chair of medical Pathology at Rome University. In October P. Pio undergoes the in-depth examinations of Doctor Giorgio Festa, sent by the Capuchin General, father Venanzio from lisle-en-Rigault.

In the summer 1921, rumours of Padre Pio's probable removal begin to spread.
On 17 June 1923, the order that Padre Pio shall not celebrate mass in public and answer letters from devotees reaches San Giovanni Rotondo. There also arrives the order to transfer Padre Pio to Ancona , an order which was suspended by the ecclesiastical authorities themselves, owing to the agitation of masses
In a letter to the Mayor Francesco Morcaldi, Padre Pio declares himself ready to obey, but at the same time he expresses the wish to be buried in San Giovanni Rotondo.

In January 1925, in an atmosphere of relative tranquillity Padre Pio inaugurates in San Giovanni Rotondo a small hospital of 20 beds intitled to "St. Francis". It will stay open till 1938.

In 1927, Mgr. Bevilacqua arrives at the friary of San Giovanni Rotondo on an apostolic visit, followed in July 1928 by Mgr. Giuseppe Bruno. The following 3 January, in the home of Mary Pyle, a rich American lady who has become a resident in San Giovanni Rotondo, Padre Pio nurses his dying mother. Peppa Di Nunzio was 70. On 9 June 1931, unexpectedly arrives the order of Padre Pio's suspension from all ministries, but Mass, which was to be celebrated privately.

Mgrs. Luca Pasetto and Felice Bevilacqua are at San Giovanni Rotondo in the spring 1933 on apostolic visit. An encounter of Padre Pio with Mgr. Andrea Cesarano, the new Archbishop of Manfredonia, takes place in this period.

The following 16 July, P. Pio again says mass in the church, and a year after he can again hear men's and women's confessions.
On 10 August 1935, P. Pio celebrates his 25.th year of priesthood in an atmosphere of recovered serenity.

On 9 January 1940, Padre Pio's great public programme starts: the building of the Hospital "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" (House for the Relief of Sufferance). The first offering of a golden napoleon of 10 francs is delivered by Padre Pio himself to the treasurer, the chemist of Zara, Carlo Kisvarday. The other members of the constituted Committee were a physician from Parma living in the Mugello region, Doctor Guglielmo Sanguinetti, and Mario Sanvico, an agronomist from Perugia.

On 5 October 1946, at the end of World War II madness, to give greater impulse to the Hospital programme, a joint stock company for "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" was established.

Two days after, at the age of 86, Padre Pio's father "Zì Orazio" dies nursed by his son in the home of the American lady, Mary Pyle.

On 16 May 1947, blessed by Padre Pio, the foundation stone is laid and the excavation works for the building of the "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" start.
The building of the Hospital is accompanied by a periodical report to inform about work progress and to solicit new offerings which arrive from all over the world very generously.
In the same time, with the suggestion of Padre Pio who had welcomed the invitation from Pope Pio XII, the Prayer Groups start being formed in Italy and abroad.

On 7 January 1950, to meet the growing demand from devotees, the booking system of women's confessions is started.

In the summer 1954, the crowd of devotees is so large that it is decided that Padre Pio should say mass in the open space outside the church.

On 5 May 1956, the "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" is inaugurated. Church and State authorities participate to the great ceremony together with about 15 thousand devotees. Doctors Sanvico and Sanguinetti are absent because have shortly died.

On 2 July 1956, the foundation stone for the building of the new Church of the Capuchin Friary is laid.

On 4 April 1957, Padre Pio is appointed by Pope Pio XII life director of the confraternity of the Third Franciscan Order "Santa Maria delle Grazie", and he is granted the privilege to manage the "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza".

On 5 May 1957, in the address he gives on occasion of the first anniversary of the Hospital, Padre Pio draws the programmatic lines of his work, which he defines a "Temple of Prayer and Science", and announces the creation of an International Study Centre, a Home for Old People, a Meeting Place for spiritual exercises, and the foundation of "a new Army" in the service of diseased people.

In April 1959, Padre Pio gets ill and sends a spiritual message on a microphone each noon after Angelus and at night.

On 1 July 1959, the new Church of "Santa Maria delle Grazie" is consacrated. The following day, the picture of the Virgin is crowned by Cardinal Federico Tedeschini.

In the month of August, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima stops two days at San Giovanni Rotondo, and Padre Pio, still seriously ill, recovers miraculously.

On 30 July 1960, the apostolic visitor Mgr. Carlo Maccari arrives at San Giovanni Rotondo. His presence and investigation methods cause an outcry in the press and bewilderment among devotees.

On 11 May 1964, Padre Pio designates the Holy See as universal heir of all his property. From 29 March 1968, Padre Pio uses a wheel chair to move. On 20 September 1968, a large crowd of devotees arrives for the Fiftieth Anniversary of Padre Pio's stigmata. On 21 September the "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" organises an international meeting of Prayer Groups. On 22 September, at 5 a.m. Padre Pio says his last Mass.

and on 23 September 1968, at 2.30, Padre Pio serenely dies uttering the words "Jesus and Mary".

At his solemn burial, over one hundred thousand people were present.

On 27 September 1968, the Crypt that entombs Padre Pio's body is opened. Since then an incessant pilgrimage of devotees to his Tomb has started.