Catholic Saints

When he first received the stigmata—wounds similar to those borne by Christ—Padre Pio begged that the outward signs of it be taken away.

Following Padre Pio’s death, Pope Paul VI told the Capuchin friars that what made Padre Pio such an important person to so many was his devotion to prayer and suffering.

The day after Padre Pio’s beatification, Pope John Paul II spoke to the pilgrims in Rome for the ceremony. He spoke of the many blessings the humble friar bestowed upon people.

Throughout his life, every time Padre Pio encountered something challenging, he leaned into God and found a way to reroute it into something good.

During the time when Padre Pio was under investigation and unable to say Mass, hear confessions, or communicate with his spiritual director, he spent his days patiently waiting—and praying.