Gargano’s Information

San Giovanni Rotondo is a famous town in the province of Foggia and it’s known because of St. Padre Pio of Pietralcina, who lived there most of his life: his name was Francesco Forgione and he was a Capuchin. He chose the remote San Giovanni Rotondo friary because of its calmness and he moved there in 1916.
Shortly Padre Pio received the visible marks of the crucifixion on both hands and feet and he carried those sacred marks for over 50 years.

He lived an ascetical life and he followed through lots of humanitarian and religious projects. Among other things Padre Pio decided to build a big avant-garde hospital by the friary, the Home to Relieve Suffering.
He also wanted the opening of the Padre Pio Center of Motor Rehabilitation, which was highly specialized in treating motor patologies for disabled children. Padre Pio difended the building of the new Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie too, which was later built-up near the old one.

That’s the same Church where Padre Pio celebrated his last Mass: he died early that morning on September 22, 1968. Each year thousands of people visit those sacred places and among other things they choose to pray along the beautiful Stations of the Cross of Francesco Messina, which are located on the Castellana Mountian slopes. They visit the old church of Saint Orsola too.

The majestic New Church of Padre Pio has been inaugurated in 2004: it was planned by the famous italian architect Renzo Piano.