Padre Pio: The Saint of the Stigmata

by

Samuel E. Sanchez M.

Literature and Composition

Seton Home Study School

August 18, 2023

 Outline

I. Introduction: His constant humility, his fervent piety and his unconditional charity at

the service of others make him Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, making him a great saint to

follow of virtue and selfless love.

II. Charity

A. Confessions

B. Hospital House for the Relief of Suffering

C. Love to neighbor

III. Piety

A. Prayer

B. Ecstasy and apparitions

C. Stigmatization and transverberation

IV. Humility

A. Misunderstandings and persecution

B. Hide stigmas

C. Avoid admiration

V. Conclusion
 At a moment in history, in the small town of Pietrelcina, a man was born who surpassed

temporal and geographical limits: Francesco Forgione. Filled with the simplicity of his humility,

he used piety as his guide on the path to a high degree of holiness. His soul, concerned about the

good of his neighbor, helped people in need physically and spiritually with inexhaustible charity,

inspiring many to help others generously. His constant humility, his fervent piety and his

unconditional charity at the service of others make him Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, making him a

great saint to follow of virtue and selfless love.

The love and charity for the souls of friends and pilgrims who came seeking spiritual

guidance and assistance led Father Pio to spend up to 16 hours confessing1 to the faithful who

traveled from different places, some coming from very far away. He forgot about himself, as his

health had been fragile since his youth due to his self-mortifications2. The charity of the Saint

was not only towards spiritual but also extended to the physical. Thus, with many donations,

prayers, and aid, he managed to build the "House of Relief of Suffering" hospital, which he

opened in 19563, healing both body and soul. In the poor and sick, he saw Christ in person and

did for them whatever he could, showing his charity and encouraging them to help others4. He

welcomed people of all kinds in confession, and everyone saw in him a merciful father. Father

Pio even went so far as to read the sins that people concealed or found difficult to confess5. When

1
Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, “San Padre Pio,” Corazones, 2011,
https://www.corazones.org/liturgia/santos/pio_padre.htm.
2
Beppe Amico, San Pio de Pietrelcina (Bogota: San Pablo, 2014), Google Books, 18.
3
“Padre Pio de Pietrelcina,” The Holy See,
https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20020616_padre-pio_sp.html.
4
The Holy See, “Padre Pio de Pietrelcina.”
5
“Santoral del 23 de septiembre: San Pio de Pietrelcina.” Aciprensa, September 23, 2022.
https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/hoy-celebramos-al-padre-pio-de-pietrelcina-el-santo-de-los-estigmas-76929 .
 the church punished him, forbidding him from tending to more souls or celebrating mass in

public, he felt more pain for the needy souls deprived of his spiritual aid than for himself6.

Another highly notable virtue in the life of the Saint of the Stigmata, from a very young

age, was piety. He did not enjoy going to play with children of his age because they were rude

and lacked the proper respect for religious matters7. In his spare moments, when he was in the

company of others, he would create clay sculptures of saints. When he was alone, he would pray

the holy rosary8. As a priest, he even reached the point of praying it up to 40 times a day9. When

he was merely 5 years old, he had his first ecstasy or vision in which Jesus appeared to him in

the form of the Sacred Heart, and Francesco promised that he would become a Franciscan10.

From the moment he entered the convent at the age of 15, he began to receive constant visits

from Jesus and Mary. However, he considered this to be a normal experience for all Christians

and did not share it until the age of 2811. He also began to be attacked by the devil and engaged

in physical battles on several nights12. The most striking aspect of the piety of Father Pio was

the reception of two very special graces reserved for the holiest individuals: stigmatization and

transverberation. For fifty years, he bore the stigmata, enduring them with patience and finding

happiness in feeling loved by God, bleeding profusely every day. One day, while the Saint was

confessing young people, he saw a celestial figure carrying something resembling a fiery arrow.

This figure launched the arrow at Father Pio, piercing his heart and nearly killing him. The pain

6
Fernando Gioia, El Padre Pio: Llamado, Sufrimiento, Entrega Generosa, Persecución y Gloria. (Antiguo
Cuscatlan: Reflexionando), 11.
7
Amico, 13.
8
Amico, 13.
9
“12 shocking facts about Padre Pio.” PCC, September 23, 2018. https://mx.ppc-editorial.com/blog-ppc-
editorial-mexico/12-datos-impactantes-sobre-padre-pio.
10
Aciprensa, “Santoral del 23 de septiembre: San Pio de Pietrelcina.”
11
Gioia, 6.
12
PCC, “12 shocking facts about Padre Pio.”
 from the wound lasted for two days, and he suffered greatly as he felt a burning sensation13. This

phenomenon is known as transverberation.

Every saint comes to experience a time of suffering, misunderstandings, and criticisms,

and this stage arrived for Father Pio, depriving him of his priestly ministry. He embraced

everything with profound humility and self-effacement. The misunderstandings began due to a

Franciscan priest who was also a physician. Initially, he admired Father Pio and regarded him

highly within the Franciscan order. However, when Father Pio refused to allow him to see the

wounds, the priest became indignant and altered his perspective. As a result, he provided

unfavorable references and criticisms against the honor of the Stigmatized Saint. This raised

concerns within the Church, and with the change of the Pope, the great persecution began. He

could no longer hear confessions, offer spiritual assistance, or publicly celebrate Mass.

Nonetheless, the saint did not lose heart and accepted the will of God with humility and

resignation14. When a person receives a special grace from God, the most crucial aspect is not

to become prideful about the blessings received and not believe oneself to be more important

or holier. When Father Pio received the stigmata, he even implored Jesus to let him retain the

pain while making the wounds invisible to avoid attracting attention 15. Since God did not grant

this request, he covered the wounds with gloves. Due to the wounds and bleeding, they had to

cleanse the wounds and change the bandages that shielded them. He disliked this because the

monks had to see and touch the stigmata, and he even scolded them for venerating him and

kissing his feet.

13
“San Pio de Pietrelcina.” Catholic.net. https://www.es.catholic.net/op/articulos/35447/cat/729/san-pio-
de-pietrelcina.html.
14
Catholic.net, “San Pio de Pietrelcina.”
15
Amico, 8.
 As evident, Father Pio had a life full of trials and sufferings that led him to practice virtues

heroically, guiding him along a path of sanctity and charity. He became an example for those

who had the opportunity to share in his life experiences, as well as for the new generations,

leaving a profound imprint of what true love for God is – doing His will regardless of

circumstances and sufferings.

 Bibliography

Amico, Beppe. San Pío de Pietrelcina. Bogota, D.C., Colombia: San Pablo, 2014.

Gioia, Fernando. El Padre Pio: Llamado, Sufrimiento, Entrega Generosa, Persecución y

Gloria. Antiguo Cuscatlan, El Salvador: Reflexionando.

“Padre Pio de Pietrelcina (1887 - 1968).” The Holy See.

https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20020616_padre-
pio_sp.html .

“San Pio de Pietrelcina.” Catholic.net.

https://www.es.catholic.net/op/articulos/35447/cat/729/san-pio-de-pietrelcina.html.

“Santoral del 23 de septiembre: San Pio de Pietrelcina.” Aciprensa, September 23, 2022.
https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/hoy-celebramos-al-padre-pio-de-pietrelcina-el-
santo-de-los-estigmas-76929 .

“San Padre Pio.” Corazones, 2011. https://www.corazones.org/liturgia/santos/pio_padre.htm.

“12 shocking facts about Padre Pio.” PPC, September 23, 2018.
https://mx.ppc-editorial.com/blog-ppc-editorial-mexico/12-datos-impactantes-sobre-
padre-pio.