St. Padre Pio Photo Album Part 7

"Practice the little virtues which pertain to your littleness - patience, tolerance with your neighbor, humility, sweetness, affability, bearing your imperfections, and many others."

- St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"May God see to it that you grow to be a beautiful tree, divine heavenly seed. May God see to it that you produce mature fruit, and when you have done so, may God preserve you from the wind that makes the fruit fall to the ground......This desire must be within you just like the orange trees of the Genoa Rivera, which are laden with fruit, flowers and leaves combined, almost all year round so that your desires may always bear fruit when the occasion presents itself, working a little every day."

- St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Padre Pio spent up to fifteen hours a day hearing confessions. His confessional was often called, "a tribunal of mercy and firmness." Padre Pio was firm with the penitents. He would not allow people to make excuses for their sins. People would sometimes wait seven days or longer to make their confession to him. On the last day of his life he was taken to the sacristy of the church in a wheelchair and heard his last seven confessions. Pope Pius XII called Padre Pio "the confessor of Europe."

A mosaic of St. Michael, the Archangel, in the monastery church of "Our Lady of Grace" where Padre Pio celebrated Mass for many years. Padre Pio had a great devotion to St. Michael and prayed to him daily. He often encouraged people to visit the shrine of St. Michael in Monte Sant' Angelo. He had made his own pilgrimage there as a youth. For Padre Pio, the angelic realm was visible, real and very near. From childhood, he could see his guardian angel in form, and often conversed with him. At times, he spoke of the beautiful "celestial choirs" which he could hear. Padre Pio lived his whole life, close to God and in the company of angels.

This painting, "Our Lady of Purity" was a gift to Padre Pio from an antique dealer. Padre Pio loved this painting of the Madonna but hesitated to accept it as he felt it was too expensive a gift to accept. He did however, accept it, and it hung on the wall in cell number one, the cell where he lived for many years at the monastery of Our Lady of Grace in San Giovanni Rotondo. Ever encouraging people to have devotion to the Virgin Mary, he once wrote to one of his spiritual children, "You must remember that you have in Heaven, not only a Father, but also a Mother.

Padre Pio's cell number one at the monastery of Our Lady of Grace in San Giovanni Rotondo. Padre Pio had many devotional objects in his cell including a crucifix, a painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a picture of the Holy Father and a picture of Our Lady Liberatrix (the Madonna which was venerated in his hometown of Pietrelcina). Also in his room was a photograph of his mother and father, Maria Giuseppa and Grazio Forgione, a photo of Mary Pyle, his American secretary, and a picture of St. Bernadette of Lourdes. Above his desk was a picture of the statue of St. Michael the Archangel, the statue that is venerated in the shrine of St. Michael the Archangel, near San Giovanni Rotondo. Opposite his bed hung the beautiful painting of Our Lady of Purity.

A painting of Our Lady of Pompeii - Padre Pio had a great devotion to Our Lady of Pompeii. He had made a pilgrimage to her shrine near Naples, Italy when he was fourteen years old and on several other occasions after he was ordained to the priesthood. He made countless novenas to Our Lady of Pompeii throughout his life. Regarding Our Lady, he used to say, "She treats me as if I were her only child on the face of the earth. She comes to me whenever I need her."

An image of Our Lady Liberatrix (Our Lady of Liberty), the patroness of Padre Pio's hometown of Pietrelcina, Italy. Padre Pio had a great devotion to Our Lady Liberatrix and always kept a picture of her in his cell. Many of the residents of Pietrelcina observed that Padre Pio, as a newly ordained priest, spent many hours in the parish church, in prayer before the beautiful statue of Our Lady Liberatrix. He used to say, "Be very grateful to the Madonna, for it was she who gave us Jesus."

Padre Pio passed away on September 23rd, 1968. In death, he was serene and beautiful. In his hands were placed a crucifix, a rosary and the Rule of St. Francis and around his shoulders was placed his priestly stole. The Bishop of the Diocese, his Excellency Andrea Cesarano, is seen at the bier. He had governed the diocese of Manfredonia for more than thirty-five years and was called "Padre Pio's bishop." Speaking about Padre Pio, he said, "I admired the serenity of his spirit, the joviality of his character and his total submission to the decisions of the Holy See concerning himself." On many occasions this prelate of the Church would visit the monastery and instead of giving his own blessing would take Padre Pio's hand and raise it in a blessing.

The funeral procession for Padre Pio who died on September 23, 1968. His casket was placed in an open hearse and driven through the streets of San Giovanni Rotondo. The whole town was in mourning. Over 100,000 people attended his funeral. Overhead, helicoptors of the Italian Air Force showered flowers on the crowds below. In Rome, Pope Paul VI celebrated a suffrage Mass for Padre Pio. The Father Guardian of the monastery said of Padre Pio, "He desired to die on his feet, at his place of work, after a day spent with others in prayer and in his ministry for good."

Padre Alessio Parente, Padre Pio's secretary for many years, pauses to say a prayer at the tomb of his spiritual father.
"For many, death is a sorrowful event. For Padre Pio, it was like a release from prison or a long awaited journey home. His life was completely oriented toward attaining Heaven."

- Fr. Federico de Macchia Valforte

On June 16, 2002 Padre Pio was canonized in Rome. Over 300,000 people attended, making it one of the largest canonization ceremonies in the Vatican's history. Pope John Paull II announced that St. Pio's feast day would be an obligatory memorial on the Roman Calendar. This means that the feast must be observed in the Mass on the day it occurrs unless a solemnity falls on the same day. St. Maximilian Kolbe, priest and martyr, is the only other saint who died in the twentieth century who is honored with an obligatory memorial.

On June 16, 2002 Padre Pio was canonized in Rome. Over 300,000 people attended, making it one of the largest canonization ceremonies in the Vatican's history. Pope John Paull II announced that St. Pio's feast day would be an obligatory memorial on the Roman Calendar. This means that the feast must be observed in the Mass on the day it occurrs unless a solemnity falls on the same day. St. Maximilian Kolbe, priest and martyr, is the only other saint who died in the twentieth century who is honored with an obligatory memorial.