Pio, Padre

Pio, Padre

 orig. Francesco Forgione

(born May 25, 1887, Pietreclina, Italy—died Sept. 23, 1968, San Giovanni Rotondo) Italian priest. Born into a devout Catholic family, he consecrated himself to Jesus at 5. At 15 he joined the Capuchins and took the name Pio; in 1910 he became a priest. That same year he received the stigmata for the first time. They were healed, but he received them again in 1918; this time they remained with him until his death. This and other signs of his holiness (perfume and, reportedly, the ability to be in two places at once), drew growing numbers of pilgrims to him. He was canonized in 2002.