Francesco Forgione was born May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, a small town on the outskirts of Benevento. He was baptized the following day in St. Anne's Church and was given the name of Francis to the mother's desire, always devoted to St. Francis of Assisi.
His father Horace Mary Forgione, who was born in 1860, and his mother Maria Giuseppa De Nunzio, born in 1859, had been married about six years old and had already had three children, two of whom have died prematurely, the birth of Francis. On September 27, 1889 receives Communion and Confirmation by the archbishop of Benevento Mary Donato Oil. 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. On the night of Jan. 5, the last one that passed with his family, said he had another vision in which God and Mary encouraged him and assured him of their preference. On the morning of January 6, after hearing mass in the parish church of Pietrelcina, accompanied by his teacher Angela Hunt and by Father Nicola Caruso, Francis was received into the novitiate of the Capuchin religious province of Foggia, Morcone (Benevento). On 22 January of that year, at age 15, Francis plays the role of the probation and became a Capuchin novice Brother Pio.
Ended the year of the novitiate, Brother Pio made his first profession of simple vows (poverty, chastity and obedience) January 22, 1904. Three days later he went to St. Elias Pianisi to undertake studies in high school. On January 27, 1907 he made his solemn vows. Followed classical studies and philosophy, and in November of 1908 reached Montefusco, where he continued his studies in theology. On 18 July 1909, he received the order of the diaconate, the novitiate of Morcone. He was ordained on August 10, 1910 in the Cathedral of Benevento, by Msgr. Paul Schinos.
In recent years attest to the appearance of stigmata on his hands, that will characterize the rest of life. He gave notice for the first time on 8 September 1911, in a letter addressed to the spiritual father of San Marco in Lamis Here the monk is about a phenomenon that has been saying for almost a year, silenced only won because "always that damn shame "(Epist I, 234). On December 7, 1911 he returned to Padre Pio Pietrelcina for health reasons, remaining, except for some brief period, until 17 February 1916 (A Diary, 255).
Again because of his poor health, February 25, 1915 was granted permission to reside outside the convent, at his home, keeping the Capuchin habit. On October 10, 1915 between Pius peremptory questions answered, spoke to his father Agostino da San Marco in Lamis, claiming to have received the stigmata, "visible, especially in one hand, and, praying to the Lord, the phenomenon disappeared, but not the pain was "acute" (Epist I, 669). Also revealed that he suffered nearly every week, for some years, the crown of thorns and the scourging (ibid.). Also that year, November 6, was called to arms and went to the military district of Benevento (Epist: I, 684-686). On 6 December he was assigned to the tenth company health in Naples. He carried out the service with several licenses for health reasons up to be permanently reformed three years later, due to a double bronchoalveolar, March 16, 1918 with the determination of the Director of the main hospital in Naples (Epist. I, 1005). 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. Even better feeling in this place, after a week or so went down again to breathe the sultry air of Foggia, because the permit asked the father provincial, although not necessary, was slow to come (Epist. I, 796s).
Padre Pio wrote on August 13 so the province, asking them to "spend some 'time in San Giovanni Rotondo, where Jesus assured him that would have been better to raise a little' get ready for the physical and other evidence to which he wanted to subject (Epist. I, 798). On September 4, 1916 and then returned "temporarily" to the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo, awaiting the arrival of the father provincial, the decision of his permanent home. Padre Pio was eventually left the convent, with the office of spiritual director of the seminary seraphic (Epist. I, 815ss).
In August 1918 between the first Pio claimed to have 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, the friar wrote to his spiritual director: In the middle of the palms appeared a little 'red, as big as the shape of a penny, accompanied by a sharp and acute pain. This pain is more sensitive to the left. Also under my feet feel a bit 'of pain. At the same time began circulating rumors that her body had begun to adopt an inexplicable scent of jasmine.
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. In his report, among other things wrote: "The injury that has the hands, are covered by a membrane of red-brown, with no bleeding point, no edema and no inflammatory reaction in surrounding tissues. I know, that those wounds are superficial because, applying his thumb in the palm of the hand and index finger and putting pressure on the back, you have the correct perception of the gap. "Two months later, on July 26, arrived in San Professor Giovanni Rotondo Amico Bignami, Professor of Pathology Medical University of Rome. His medical considerations do not differ from those of the prof. Romanelli, in most but said he thinks those stigmata had begun as pathological products (multiple neurotonica necrosis of the skin) and had been completed, perhaps unconsciously, to a phenomenon of suggestion, or by chemical means, such as iodine.
In 1920, Father Agostino Gemelli, doctor, psychologist and consultant to the Holy Office, was commissioned by Cardinal Merry Del Val to visit Padre Pio and run "a clinical examination of the wounds." The Secretary of the Holy Office, summoned because of suspicions about alleged scandalous activities of cappuccino, he chose the Gemini, is assumed given, both for its high level of scientific knowledge, both for its specialized studies on the "mystical phenomena" , who had led since 1913. As a result of this story, 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 decree was published in L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, on 5 July and immediately picked up by newspapers around the world. Padre Pio was officially declared a fraud and un'impostore. On 15 December 1924 Dr. Giorgio Festa, asked the church authorities for permission to bring the father to a new clinical examination for further study and longer updated, but not obtained.
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 1938 came Maria Jose of Savoy, who wanted to be photographed next to Padre Pio. They reached the Spanish royal family, exiled Queen of Portugal, Maria Antonia of Bourbon-Parma Zita of Bourbon, Giovanna of Savoy Louis of Bourbon-Parma, Prince Eugene of Savoy and many others.
In 1950 the number of people, particularly women, who wanted to confess was so impressive, which was organized a system of reservations. On January 9, 1940 began the construction of large hospital House for the Relief of Suffering with the offerings of the faithful from all over the world.
Later, Pope John XXIII ordered further investigations into Padre Pio, sending Msgr. Carlo Maccari: in the spirit of Vatican II wanted to take decisive action to be considered archaic forms of popular faith. In early summer 1960, Pope John is informed by Monsignor Pietro Parente of the Holy Office Assessor of the contents of some recorded voice coils in San Giovanni Rotondo. For months, Roncalli took information about the circle of women around Padre Pio, has pinned the names of three faithfully: Cleonice Morcaldi, Tina Bellone, and Olga IECI, "plus a mysterious countess. Suspected Pope John XXIII, who had not heard the coils (quae sunt referentur is true), however, were dispelled in the following year by the Archbishop of Manfredonia, Msgr. Andrea Cesarano.
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, the Lent of 1965 was to implement 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 and the world.
Source: Wikipedia
