Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

St Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968)

Today we commemorate two anniversaries relating to Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. It was exactly 100 years ago on September 20, 1918 that he received the stigmata, the wounds of the crucified Christ on his hands and feet and side. And it was 50 years ago today, September 23, 1968, that he died, at which time the stigmata disappeared from his body. He was beatified in 1999 and canonized in 2002 both celebrations led by Pope St John Paul II. St Pio was born on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy and was ordained a Capuchin priest in 1910. His popularity brought many people to confession and was instrumental in having a large hospital built in San Giovanni Rotondo, where he lived most of his life. The hospital is called Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (The House for the relief of suffering.) Padre Pio suffered a lot during his life, not just because of his stigmata. He was stopped for a while from saying Mass in public and from hearing confessions. But he was re-instated and the crowds at San Giovanni Rotondo increased. He once heard young Karol Wojtyla's confession and predicted that one day he would become a Pope - he became Pope St John Paul II.