Pio of Pietrelcina
From New World Encyclopedia
| Saint Pio of Pietrelcina | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Confessor | |
| Born | May 25 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy |
| Died | September 23 1968 (aged 81) in San Giovanni Rotondo |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | May 2 1999, Rome, Italy |
| Canonized | June 16 2002, Rome, Italy |
| Major shrine | San Giovanni Rotondo (where he lived and is now buried) |
| Feast | September 23 |
| Patronage | civil defense volunteers, Catholic adolescents, unofficial patron of stress relief and New Year Blues |
Pio of Pietrelcina (25 May, 1887 – 23 September 1968) was a Capuchin priest from Italy who is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. He was born Francesco Forgione, and given the name Pio when he joined the Capuchins; he was popularly known as Padre Pio(Father Pio) after his ordination to the priesthood.
Pio was also renowned in the Roman Catholic Church as a modern stigmatists. His wounds were examined by many people, including physicians, who claimed they were authentic. This friar became famous for other alleged spiritual abilities as well including the gifts of healing, bilocation, levitation, prophecy, miracles, extraordinary abstinence from both sleep and nourishment.
