The early years (1887-1918): Francesco Forgione was born May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, a small town on the outskirts of Benevento. He was baptized the next day in the church of Sant'Anna. He was given the name Francesco desire for the mother, devoted to Saint Francis of Assisi. On 1 January 1903, after Communion, Francis said he had had a vision that confirmed and clarified his call to continue fighting the evil one. Meanwhile, 17 February 1916 between Pius arrived in Foggia, remaining for about seven months and dwelling at the monastery of St. Anna. On the evening of July 28, accompanied by Father Paulinus Casacalenda, Padre Pio arrived for the first time in San Giovanni Rotondo.
The appearance of the stigmata (1918-1920): In August of 1918, Padre Pio claimed to have the first visions of a man who stabs him with a spear, leaving a wound that is always open. Shortly after, following another vision, Padre Pio claimed to have received the stigmata. These lesions were variously interpreted: as a sign of a particular sanctity, or as a disease of the skin (eg. Sores psoriasis), or as a self-inflicted. The first manifestations date back to 1910 when the religious, because of his unexplained illness, had left the convent and lived at his home in Pietrelcina. Every day, after celebrating Mass, he went to a place called the campaign Piana Romana, where his brother Michael had built a hut to allow him to pray and meditate on being outdoors, what good is very sick to his lungs. Revealed to his confessor that the phenomenon of stigmata began to appear at that place on the afternoon of September 7, 1910. The phenomenon occurs more strongly a year later in September 1911.
Surveys (1919-1923): The first doctor to examine the stigmata of Padre Pio was the professor Luigi Romanelli, chief of the Civil Hospital of Barletta, by order of the provincial superior father, 15 and 16 May 1919. As a result of this and other events, May 31, 1923, a decree came true where the sentencing explicit. The Holy Office declared <not soprannaturalità> see the facts from the life of Padre Pio and urged the faithful not to believe and not to go to San Giovanni Rotondo. The lifting of restrictions and further investigation (1933-1968): In 1933, Pius XI lift the restrictions previously imposed on Padre Pio. An independent source, however, suggests that, formally, the decree's official disavowal of Padre Pio was never revoked. Indeed, the Inquisition not recanted his decrees and, officially, Padre Pio continued to be condemned by the Church. In San Giovanni Rotondo, however, hastened the common people, but also celebrities. In 1964, the new Pope Paul VI granted personally but unofficially to Padre Pio of Pietrelcina the Indult (reinstatement) to continue to celebrate, also publicly, the Holy Mass according to the rite of St. Pius V, though, was in the Lent of 1965 implementation of the liturgical reform. At the same time, many financial assets managed by Padre Pio spent in management to the Holy See.
On September 23, 1968 Padre Pio died at the age of 81. At his funeral attended by more than one hundred thousand people who came from all over Italy.
The canonization: The preliminary legal practices of the beatification process began a year after his father's death in 1969, but encountered many obstacles, from those who were declared enemies of Padre Pio. Were heard dozens of witnesses and collected 104 volumes of documents and provisions, and in 1979 all the material was sent to Rome to be examined by experts of the Pope that led to the canonization process began with the Nihil Obstat of 29 November 1982. On March 20, 1983 began the diocesan process for his canonization. On January 21, 1990 was proclaimed Venerable Padre Pio was beatified on May 2, 1999 and June 16, 2002 proclaimed a saint in St. Peter's Square by Pope John Paul II as St. Pio of Pietrelcina. His liturgical feast is celebrated on September 23. Among the miraculous signs that are assigned to find the "stigmata" that led to 50 years (20 September 1918-23 September 1968), the gift of bi-and the ability to read the hearts and minds of people. Among the many miracles attributed to him is that of the healing of the small Matteo Pio Colella of San Giovanni Rotondo, where we celebrated the canonical process that led to the later elevation to the altars of St. Pio.
Source: Wikipedia
