St. Francis Pilgrimages (2024)

Francis of Assisi, each pilgrimage focuses on spirituality through immersion in the culture, prayer, sacraments, reflections, encounters with local people, fellowship, and deep knowledge of each place. People regularly tell us that our pilgrimages are transformative, experiential, and spiritual. Itineraries in Italy include familiar places like Rome, Assisi, Siena, Florence, Loreto, San Giovanni R

otondo, Orvieto, Lanciano, and more, but we also take you to the special hidden places, known only to locals, away from the crowds.

08/10/2024

In Assisi with a lovely group of pilgrims from North Carolina.

04/10/2024

October 4: The Feast of St. Francis (from my book, "The Complete Pilgrim Guide to Italy: Land of Saints and Sanctuaries, Miracles and Mystics")

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Assisi: The Birthplace of Saints Francis and Clare

“The rule and life of the lesser brothers is this: To observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience without anything of our own, and in chastity.” (The Rule of St. Francis of Assisi)

Assisi is celebrated throughout Italy and beyond as the birthplace of Sts. Francis and Clare and the cradle of Franciscan spirituality. As Rome is the political capital of Italy and Milan is the country’s business hub, Assisi is surely Italy’s spiritual heart. Millions of tourists and pilgrims of every nationality and creed come here every year to explore the life of the “Seraphic Saint.” Many go away with a renewed sense of spirituality and peace.

The life of this great saint merits a significant retelling in a guidebook on pilgrimage sites in Italy. St. Francis left a deep imprint on the spiritual and religious fabric throughout all of Italy. The order he founded, which eventually separated into three, is extremely influential throughout the country. He is not only the patron saint of Italy; deep devotion to him persists. Up until recently, October 4 (the feast day of St. Francis) was a national holiday. Still today, many Italians wear Franciscan tau crosses as necklaces or hang them from their rear-view mirrors. Likewise, San Damiano crucifixes frequently adorn the walls of business establishments and private homes alike.

St. Francis was born in Assisi during the winter months of 1181-82. According to the early Franciscan sources, he was known as a carefree and talented youth who charmed fellow Assisians with his attractive personality. His early life was marked by feasts, merriments, and carousing with his companions. It seemed to everyone that he was fated for worldly glory.

Francis, too, believed he was destined to accomplish great feats, and he dreamed of becoming a knight. This was the age of chivalry. Everyone knew the tales of the celebrated knights by heart. With that, Francis joined Assisi’s troops in a battle against their archrival, Perugia. He hoped to prove himself on the battlefield and be knighted. Instead, Francis was captured and spent a year languishing in a Perugia dungeon. After his father paid a ransom, he was released and returned to Assisi.

Though Francis suffered tremendously in prison, his thirst for worldly glory was not extinguished. He had a dream in which he saw himself as the master of a majestic palace filled with arms. So he set out to fight once again, this time in a crusade on behalf of the pope against the rebel German emperor, who was wreaking havoc on the Papal States. But Francis never made it to the battlefield.

After one day’s journey from Assisi, Francis was overnighting in Spoleto. He had another dream in which he heard a voice ask him if it were better to serve the Lord or the servant. That voice helped Francis realize how he had been seeking his own will. The next morning, he abandoned his dreams of knighthood, gave his armor and warhorse to a poor knight, and returned to Assisi to seek the will of God.

He began to pray in caves and isolated places. In the dilapidated Church of San Damiano (dedicated to brothers Sts. Damian and Cosmas) on the lower slopes of Mt. Subasio, he once again heard Christ speak to him, this time from the crucifix. The voice said, “Francis, go and rebuild my house, which you see is falling into ruin.” Francis responded by promptly going to his father’s warehouse, taking a bolt of cloth, and selling it in nearby Foligno. Now he had the money to rebuild the church.

In a pivotal moment during his early conversion, Francis embraced a l***r. His first biographer, Thomas of Celano, said, “What before had seemed delightful and sweet had become unbearable and bitter; and what before made him shudder now offered him great sweetness and enormous delight.” Francis then began dedicating himself to serving and caring for l***rs in the leprosaria in the plains below Assisi.

Enraged by what he believed was his son’s erratic behavior, Francis’ father, Pietro, accused him of stealing and hauled him before the bishop. At the episcopal residence, before his father, the bishop, and the townspeople of Assisi, Francis stripped himself of his clothes while renouncing his father and his former way of life. He declared that from that moment onward, he had only one Father: “Our Father who art in Heaven.”

Francis took on the life of a penitent. He began to beg alms and repair dilapidated churches around Assisi. In 1208, at Mass on the Feast of St. Mathias, he discovered his vocation to Gospel poverty. At the little church of St. Mary of the Angels, also known as the Portiuncula, he listened to the Gospel: “Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff” (Matthew 10:9-10). He gave away his wallet and substituted his heavy boots and belt for a chord and sandals. He was now Il Poverello, the Poor Little One.

Others began following him. The only requirement was that they do what Francis did. Their vocation came right out of the Gospel: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). Anyone who wanted to follow Francis had to give away whatever they had, if anything. The brothers took up residence in two crude sheds in the area of Rivotorto, not far from the l***r hospitals in the valley. For sustenance, they ate wild turnips or worked for alms. Though they were poor beyond measure, they were equally joyful. They were doing the will of God.

In 1209, when the brothers were twelve, they left Rivotorto for Rome to request papal recognition for their novel way of life. It was a risk. The pope could have rejected their evangelical way of life based on poverty. Many heretics were living the same way. However, in a momentous encounter, Pope Innocent III conceded oral approval to the friars’ form of life and gave them a new name: the Order of Friars Minor (Lesser Brothers).

The brothers returned to Assisi and settled around the Portiuncula. This became the heart of the new order, and it remains the Mother Church of the Order of Friars Minor to this day.

For the next twenty years, Francis became a larger-than-life figure. He traveled throughout Italy and beyond, preaching penance, negotiating peace, working miracles, serving l***rs, and praying in hermitages. Before his death, he attracted as many as 5,000 men into his order. The most extraordinary event in his life took place on September 17, 1224, in Laverna, when he received the stigmata.

At the age of forty-four, on the night of October 3, 1226, Francis died peacefully on the ground behind his beloved Portiuncula. Two years later, he was canonized a saint by Pope Gregory IX. The next day, the pope laid the foundation stone for the basilica to be built in his honor.

Visiting Assisi and St. Francis
Many of the Franciscan sites in and around Assisi can be visited. The itinerary begins at the Cathedral of San Rufino in upper Assisi. Inside the cathedral, in the rear to the right, is an ancient baptismal font where Francis and Clare were baptized, as well as all their early followers from Assisi.

In the main nave, beneath the main altar, is a sarcophagus containing the relics of San Rufino (St. Rufinus). He was most likely a bishop who came to Assisi in the third century to evangelize. After preaching, the local pagan authorities martyred him by tying a millstone to his neck and throwing him in the Chiascio River in today’s Costano. San Rufino is still Assisi’s patron saint, though St. Francis is the patron saint of all of Italy.
Plan your visit:
Train station Assisi: Yes (in St. Mary of the Angels)
Address: Piazza San Rufino, 3, Assisi
Website: www.assisimuseodiocesano.it

Exit the cathedral and head downhill to the Piazza del Comune (Municipality Square), the main square of Assisi. In the Middle Ages, it served as the marketplace, and Francis would have been well-acquainted with this area. On the north side of the square are the ancient columns and façade of what was a temple in Roman times. Originally dedicated to the goddess Minerva, it has now been rechristened Santa Maria sopra Minerva (Saint Mary over Minerva). The pavement to the right and left of the main altar is part of the ancient Roman floor. There are grooves where water once ran along the floor, though some believe the channels served to route the blood of sacrificed animals.

Just off the south side of the square is what is known as the Chiesa Nuova (New Church). Built over what is believed to be the birth home of Francis, it was financed by the king of Spain in 1615. It takes its name from the fact that it is Assisi’s newest church within the city walls. Inside is a cell, which tradition holds is the site where Francis was imprisoned by his father.
Plan your visit:
Address: Piazza Chiesa Nuova, 7, Assisi
Website: www.fratiassisi.org/it/ #/santuari/chiesa-nuova-assisi

Now walk along the alleyway to the left of the church. Look to your right, and you will see a thirteenth-century wooden door. This is believed to be the original door to Francis’ father’s home. Below it is a small chapel. It is believed that this space served as the storage warehouse where Francis’ father stored cloth.

Continue walking along the alleyway. In less than 100 meters, you will come to a small chapel known as San Francesco Piccolino (Little Saint Francis). According to tradition, this is the site where St. Francis was born. Just above the doorway is a Latin inscription. In Gothic script, it says, “This oratory was a stable of ox and donkey, where St. Francis, wonder of the world, was born.” Shortly after St. Francis died, a tradition developed that considered him the most Christlike saint to have ever lived. Today, people come here to pray for safe pregnancies and deliveries, as well as for their children and grandchildren.

Continue down the staircase, turn right, and walk past an elementary school and police command. You will soon come to a fountain and square. At the bottom of the hill, there is a church and a residence. This is known as the Vescovado (bishop’s residence). The adjacent church is known as Santa Maria Maggiore (Saint Mary Major). Built over a noble Roman house, the church served as the cathedral of Assisi until the eleventh century, when it was moved up to San Rufino. Since antiquity, this area has served as the residence of Assisi’s bishops. This is where St. Francis stripped off his clothes before the bishop, his father, and the townspeople and gave back everything to his earthly father to rely on his heavenly Father alone. In 2017, Pope Francis designated the church the Sanctuary of the Spoliation.
Plan your visit:
Address: Piazza del Vescovado, 2A, Assisi
Website: www.assisisantuariospogliazione.it

Inside the church are the remains of the up-and-coming young saint named Carlo Acutis. (At the time of writing, he has been declared blessed.) Carlo died in Milan in 2006 of leukemia at the young age of fifteen. He is known, among other things, for his prowess in computer programming and using websites for evangelization. He had a strong devotion to the Eucharist and a heart for the poor and marginalized. His mother, father, and two siblings currently live in Assisi (on the road to the Carceri Hermitage), where they promote an association known as the Friends of Carlo. Website: www.carloacutis.com/en/association
Inside the bishop’s residence is a unique museum. Known as the Memorial Museum (Museo della Memoria), it highlights the heroic contributions of Assisians who risked their lives to help Jews escape Italy during the N**i occupation. It is believed that as many as 300 Jews were saved by a secret network that involved diocesan priests, Franciscan friars, Poor Clare sisters, several laypersons, and even the bishop himself. Website: www.visit-assisi.it/monumenti-e-luoghi-dinteresse-2/musei/museo-della-memoria

Now walk back uphill and turn left on Via Bernardo da Quintavalle. Continue for less than 100 meters until you come to the medieval house of Bernard of Quintavalle on your left. Bernard was a wealthy nobleman and the first companion to join Francis. The Franciscan sources recount how Bernard invited Francis to dinner and overnight at his home in this location. After observing Francis pray throughout the night, the next day Bernard told Francis he wanted to follow him. Address: Via Bernardo da Quintavalle, 11, 06081 Assisi (PG)

To confirm his calling, Francis led Bernard up to a nearby church, San Nicolò (St. Nicholas). Although the church was demolished in the early twentieth century to make way for a modern building, you can walk the same path the two men did in 1206. Walk uphill on Via San Gregorio until it dead-ends at the top of the hill. Turn right on Via Portica, and in a few steps you will come to the entrance to the Foro Romano (Roman Forum) museum. The crypt of the ancient church is inside the atrium.

Here Francis and Bernard opened the Gospel to three separate Scripture verses that revealed their mission: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and come and follow me”; “Take nothing with you for the journey”; and “Pick up your cross and follow me.” (Curiously, the Bible they opened is now in the Walter Scott Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.)

Now walk downhill along Via Portica, following signs to the Basilica of St. Francis. In ten minutes, you will arrive at the extraordinarily beautiful basilica, a national treasure. The church is a masterpiece of late Romanesque and early Gothic architecture. In reality, it consists of two churches, one built on top of the other, known as the lower and upper churches. The lower basilica was completed in the Romanesque style just two years after St. Francis’ canonization. Shortly thereafter, construction on a newer church in the Italian Gothic style began. In the nineteenth century, a third level was added. Known as the crypt, the space was excavated to allow access to the sarcophagus in which St. Francis is buried.

The best artists of the day were called in from Florence and Siena. Cimabue, Giotto, and Lorenzetti embellished the walls and ceilings with frescoes. The cycle of frescoes in the upper basilica by Giotto on the life of St. Francis is one of his early masterpieces. He utilized depth and realism in an original way that helped usher in the Renaissance. The Basilica of St. Francis is the Mother House of the Conventual Franciscan Order and a national Italian monument.
Plan your visit:
Address: Piazza Inferiore di S. Francesco, 2, Assisi
Websites: www.sanfrancescoassisi.org
www.fratiassisi.org/it/ #/santuari/san-francesco-assisi

The remainder of the sites on the itinerary in the footsteps of St. Francis are located outside the city walls. Public or private transportation may be necessary. The next stop is St. Mary of the Angels. From the Basilica of St. Francis, you can walk along a purposed red-brick sidewalk for about thirty minutes. It is a pleasant walk through the countryside into the busy township of St. Mary of the Angels. Otherwise, there is the option of taking the city bus or taxi.

The entire village of St. Mary of the Angels is built around what was once a small church. Today, it is conserved within a prominent Renaissance-era basilica. Known as the Portiuncula (an old Italian word meaning “Little Portion of Land”), St. Francis loved this little church more than all others. It is the site of numerous significant events in his life.

Around 1206, Francis received his calling to Gospel poverty here (described above). A few years later, in 1212, Francis received St. Clare the night she fled her family (see below). A very important event took place on August 2, 1216, though it was valued more in past centuries. After an apparition in his cell next to the church, St. Francis petitioned Pope Honorius III to grant a plenary indulgence, known as the Pardon of Assisi. To this day, pilgrims to St. Mary of the Angels can receive the plenary indulgence by visiting St. Mary of the Angels, receiving the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, and praying for the intentions of the pope. Lastly, Francis died here on October 3, 1226, in what is known as the Transitus. The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels is the Mother House of the Franciscan Order of the Friars Minor (OFM).
Plan your visit:
Address: Piazza Porziuncola, 1, 06081 Santa Maria degli Angeli
Website: www.fratiassisi.org/it/ #/santuari/porziuncola-santa-maria-degli-angeli/

Another Franciscan site close to St. Mary of the Angels is Rivotorto. There is the option of walking the 3.5 kilometers (2 mi) on another purposed sidewalk or taking the city bus. In the center of Rivotorto (now a township), there is a neo-Gothic basilica built over two hovels. Here, Francis and the first twelve friars lived together in total poverty. They slept in the hut on the right, prayed spontaneously in the open-air space between the huts, and cooked and ate in the one on the left. From here, in 1209, Francis set out to Rome with his first twelve brothers, seeking (and receiving) approval for their way of life from Pope Innocent III.
Plan your visit:
Address: Via della Regola di S. Francesco, 2, Assisi
Website: www.santuariorivotortoassisi.org

About halfway between St. Mary of the Angels and Rivotorto, at a sharp bend in the road, is a small church known as Santa Maria Maddalena (St. Mary Magdalene). It once served the l***r community that was located here. It is believed that Francis’ pivotal embrace of the l***r took place in the environs. Website (unofficial): www.iluoghidelsilenzio.it/chiesa-santa-maria-maddalena

Another significant site related to the life of St. Francis is the small Church of San Damiano. Closer to the old part of Assisi, it can be reached by car or on foot, though it would require a steep descent on a walking path from the city gate of Porta Nuova. Here, in the early part of his conversion, St. Francis heard the voice call him to rebuild the church. Inside the church is a replica of the crucifix that spoke to him. (The original is inside the Basilica of St. Clare.)
Plan your visit:
Address: Via San Damiano, 85, Assisi
Website: www.fratiassisi.org/it/ #/santuari/san-damiano-assisi

The last site in Assisi related to St. Francis is the Hermitage of the Carceri. Located some five kilometers (3 mi) from town, it can be reached by taxi or a vigorous hike. Nestled in the forested slopes of Mt. Subasio, the complex is a wonderful way to experience an authentic Franciscan hermitage in a setting largely untouched by modernity.

As you enter the small courtyard, look for the doorway into the ancient friary on the left. Above the doorway is the insignia, IHS. Meaning Iesus Hominum Salvator (Jesus Savior of Humanity), it was embraced by St. Bernardine of Siena and other reformers of the Observant Franciscan movement. Enter, and you can see the refectory at the time of St. Bernardine. Just beyond the refectory is an oratory used by the friars for praying the Divine Office and a small chapel used for Mass.

Now duck as you work your way down and around a low stone staircase and enter the heart of the hermitage: the primitive cell and oratory where Francis slept and prayed. This small space is the original part over which the rest of the hermitage was built over the centuries.

Now squeeze through the final small doorway and emerge into a delightful natural setting among a forest of ilex trees and holm oaks. Note a braced tree at the top of a stone staircase. According to tradition, Francis blessed the birds perched on its branches. Beyond the ancient tree are three bronze sculptures of Francis, Leo, and Juniper. Italian artist Fiorenzo Bacci depicted the three brothers gazing at the Ursa Major constellation, each reacting according to his spirituality, temperament, and education. A long footpath begins here and leads to a series of chapels and caves.
Plan your visit:
Address: Via Eremo delle Carceri, 38, Assisi
www.fratiassisi.org/it/ #/santuari/eremo-delle-carceri-assisi

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29/09/2024

Today, September 29, is the Feast of the three archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. (Originally, it was the feast of only St. Michael.)

In southern Italy, there is a grotto where St. Michael appeared. (The following is from my book, "The Complete Pilgrim Guide to Italy: Land of Saints and Sanctuaries, Miracles and Mystics.")
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Monte Sant’Angelo: The Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel

“Then [Jacob] had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground, with its top reaching to the heavens; and God’s angels were going up and down on it.” (Genesis 28:12)

Not far from San Giovanni Rotondo, virtually synonymous with Padre Pio, at the other end of the same rocky Gargano outcrop, is another well-known pilgrimage site. Monte Sant’Angelo, atop a mountain overlooking the Adriatic Sea, is the oldest sanctuary in the world dedicated to St. Michael. The site dates back to the Early Middle Ages, when St. Michael appeared here in a grotto. The chapel built around it is the only sanctuary consecrated not by a bishop but by an angel.

According to the ancient legend, in the late fifth century AD, a local herdsman lost the best bull of his herd. When he finally found it, it was kneeling near a cave. Unable to approach it out of fear that it would fall down a cliff, the man shot toward the bull with an arrow. Instead, the arrow turned in flight and struck the man. The herdsman promptly reported the event to the bishop, who ordered a period of prayer and fasting. At the end of three days, St. Michael appeared to the bishop, telling him that the cave was sacred: “Where the rock opens wide, the sins of men can be forgiven. What is asked for here in prayer will be granted. Therefore, go to the mountain and dedicate the grotto to the Christian religion.” St. Michael told him not to consecrate it because it would be consecrated “with my presence.”

A popular retelling of the story reveals what happened next:
The bishop of Siponto, together with seven other Apulian bishops, went in procession with the people and clergy of Siponto to the holy place. When they arrived at the grotto, they found that a primitive altar had already been erected, covered with a vermilion altar cloth and surmounted by a cross. Moreover, according to the legend, they found the footprint of Saint Michael in the rock. With immense joy, the holy bishop offered the first divine Sacrifice.

Known by locals as Monte, the grotto immediately became a pilgrimage destination. From the Early Middle Ages onward, it also served as a stopover point for pilgrims and crusaders alike traveling between Italy and the Holy Land. Over the centuries, popes, saints, and royalty have come to Monte Sant’Angelo to pay homage to St. Michael and ask for his protection and intercession. By the High Middle Ages, Monte Sant’Angelo was a major pilgrimage destination, similar to Compostela and Rome. In 2011, the sanctuary and castle were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of a group of seven sites inscribed as Longobards in Italy.

From the main parking lot at the top of the mountain, follow directions to the center of town. A few steps away is a crusader castle. With its massive tower, ramparts, walls, and surrounding moat, it seems to announce the presence of power. After descending the staircase, just past a coffee bar and souvenir shop, is the entrance to the basilica.

A Latin inscription above the door in large block letters prepares pilgrims for the experience: “TERRIBILIS EST LOCUS ISTE; HIC DOMUS DEI EST ET PORTA COELI.” (This is a terrifying place; here is the house of God and the door of Heaven). The phrase is an adaptation of a verse from Genesis. It was uttered by Jacob after he dreamed of an immense staircase going up to Heaven with angels climbing and descending it. God reiterated his promise to give him the land he was on and bless it. When he awoke, “He was afraid and said: ‘How awesome this place is! This is nothing else but the house of God, the gateway to heaven!’” (Genesis 28:17).

Immediately beyond the Gateway to Heaven, the atmosphere changes. A long staircase consisting of eighty-six stone steps begins. Filling niches along the stairway are statues of St. Michael. He is vested in the garb of a Roman soldier and stands poised, ready to strike. In his right hand, he holds a golden sword behind his back. He wears a gold crown and has golden wings. With his left foot, he is crushing a demon on a leash. St. Michael is a warrior angel and is frequently invoked by exorcists in the struggle against demons.

At the bottom of the stairs is a Romanesque portal known as the Porta del Toro (Door of the Bull). Inscribed in the rock frame are numerous graffiti markings of crosses, faces, and hands left centuries ago. It is believed that these sketches were incised by pilgrims and crusaders who stopped here to ask St. Michael for accompaniment on their journey to the Holy Land. The tradition was to trace one hand upon departure and the other if they returned safely. Sadly, pairs of hands are rare.

Just inside the door into the grotto is a nondescript altar with an image of a friar kneeling. On the floor is a small glass panel covering a TAU cross. It is believed that it was carved into the rock by St. Francis. When the saint from Assisi visited Monte Sant’Angelo, this was as far as he went. He did not feel worthy to enter.

The grotto is replete with chapels, altars, niches, and statues. Visitors frequently testify to experiencing a powerful presence here. The site where St. Michael is believed to have appeared is in the rear of the cave, behind one of the two altars. Look beyond the glass encasement for the “footprint of St. Michael.”

Monks and nuns from the Congregation of Saint Michael the Archangel, known as Michaelites, staff the sanctuary. Ask one of them for a prayer card with the act of consecration to St. Michael. In the souvenir shop, there are small rocks from the grotto that can be purchased. Beyond the souvenir shop is a corridor leading to other places of interest, including exhibits, a museum, and a video hall.

When finished, exit the basilica from the same entrance at the top of the stairs. Instead of walking up the stairs to the right (back to the parking lot), follow the road. It leads to a belvedere (lookout point) beneath a shaded park of pine trees. On sunny days, it affords stunning views of the Adriatic Sea and Gulf of Manfredonia.

Not far from Monte Sant’Angelo is the Gargano National Park and pristine Foresta Umbra. A protected area, it is known for its rich biodiversity and hiking trails. Also nearby are the breathtaking cliff villages of Vieste and Peschici, overlooking immaculate beaches and rocky shores.

Plan your visit:
Train station: No (nearest station: Foggia)
Address: Sanctuary of St. Michael
Via Reale Basilica, 127, 71037 Monte Sant’Angelo (FG)
Website: www.santuario sanmichele.it
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23/09/2024

Today, September 23, is the Feast of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina--one of the most fascinating mystics in the modern history of the Catholic Church. Below is the chapter on San Giovanni Rotondo--where he lived for most of his life and is buried--from my book, "The Complete Pilgrim Guide for Italy"

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San Giovanni Rotondo: St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

“After my death, I will make more noise: my real mission will begin after my death.” Padre Pio

Just over a century ago, the remote village of San Giovanni Rotondo was little-known. If anything, it was synonymous with poverty and hardship. Located in the rocky Gargano Promontory of upper Apulia, its inhabitants eked out a living by herding goats and sheep or farming what little grew in the rocky soil.

Today, San Giovanni Rotondo has been completely transformed. It is a household name in the Catholic (and medical) world throughout Italy and beyond. The once remote sixteenth-century Capuchin church, located some two kilometers (1.5 mi) from the old village, is now visited by millions of people every year. Flanking the bustling sanctuary complex is one of the finest hospitals in southern Italy, and lining the road from the old village to the church are innumerable hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops. The change is due to one man: St. Pio of Pietrelcina, known more affectionately as Padre Pio.

Born on May 25, 1887, in the village of Pietrelcina, he was baptized by his parents, simple farmers, with the name Francesco, after St. Francis of Assisi. (See the chapter on Pietrelcina for more on Padre Pio.) When he was five years old, in the Church of Sant’Anna, Francesco had a vision of Christ, who called him to the priesthood. Throughout his childhood, he was alternately tormented by demons and consoled by angels and saints. On January 6, 1903, at the age of fifteen, he entered the novitiate of the Capuchin Franciscans and was given the religious name Pio (Pius).

Throughout his formation and studies, the extraordinary supernatural phenomena that marked his childhood only increased. After completing his novitiate in Morcone, he was assigned to the friary in Sant’Elia a Pianisi for philosophy. There, he experienced bilocation the first time. He felt himself transported to the home of a noble woman in northern Italy who was giving birth. He heard the voice of Our Lady, who entrusted the baby to him. When the child, Giovanna Rizzani, grew up, she came to San Giovanni Rotondo and became one of his spiritual daughters.

Pio was also tormented by a strange illness that afflicted his lungs. His only relief was when he went back home to “breathe his native air.” Shortly after ordination, he experienced something extraordinary. While resting under an elm tree in the countryside outside Pietrelcina, he received the wounds of Christ on his hands and feet. He asked God to remove the stigmata, and the visible wounds disappeared, though the pain remained.

Padre Pio spent the next ten years being transferred among various friaries throughout his Capuchin province but was consistently forced back home due to his health. Finally, it was suggested he go to the Capuchin friary of San Giovanni Rotondo, high in the Gargano Mountains. The friars hoped the mountain air would do him good. Immediately upon arriving at the craggy mountainside friary, surrounded by fig trees and occasional goat herders, the young priest’s health improved. He knew he would spend the rest of his life there.

Once in San Giovanni Rotondo, the extraordinary mystical phenomena multiplied all the more. In early 1918, Padre Pio experienced what is known as transverberation, the piercing of the heart. Then, on September 20, 1918, while Padre Pio was praying before a crucifix in the choir above the ancient church, he received the wounds of Christ again. This time, when he prayed they would be removed, God did not answer him. Instead, he suffered the wounds on his hands, feet, and side for fifty years. They healed the day he died.

News spread fast that there was a “saint” in San Giovanni Rotondo who bore the wounds of Christ. People of every class and profession set out in search of miracles and healings. When they went to him in confession, the faithful marveled that Padre Pio could “read their souls,” that is, he knew their sins before they confessed them. They also said that Padre Pio frequently counseled them in ways that were prophetic. Many reported that he appeared simultaneously in two places at the same time, while others claimed that his prayers led to miraculous healings.

Doctors who examined Padre Pio’s wounds concluded that they were supernatural. They went against the course of nature, in that they neither healed nor worsened. People testified that the blood from his wounds smelled of roses and other flowers. When asked about these phenomena, Padre Pio responded that they were a mystery even to him. He said that he was just a poor friar who prayed.

While Padre Pio had fierce supporters, he also had adversaries. At times, the faithful’s devotion bordered on fanaticism, which led church authorities to intervene forcefully. For two years, Padre Pio was forbidden from hearing confessions, celebrating Mass in public, and corresponding with his spiritual sons and daughters. The prohibition was lifted by Pope Pius XI, who famously said, “I have not been badly disposed toward Padre Pio; rather, I have been badly informed.”

While many spiritual phenomena surrounding Padre Pio were extraordinary, the friar believed that his greatest work was the realization of a hospital he built entirely through donations. Named the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (House for Relief of Suffering), it reflected Padre Pio’s constant desire to help the sick and suffering.

Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968, at the age of eighty-one. When doctors discovered that his wounds had mysteriously healed, his followers interpreted it as a divine sign that his earthly sufferings and ministries were complete. However, during his life, he frequently told his followers that he would "make more noise after his death."

On May 2, 1999, Pope John Paul II declared Padre Pio blessed. The same pope canonized him a saint on June 16, 2002.

Visiting San Giovanni Rotondo
San Giovanni Rotondo is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Italy. Millions of people come each year, not just out of devotion but also for health care at the hospital founded by the saint.

An itinerary through the religious complex should begin at Santa Maria delle Grazie (Our Lady of Graces), which is composed of two churches. The ancient church, on the left, dates to 1540, when a local benefactor, Orazio Antonio Landi, donated a small plot of land to the friars of the nascent Capuchin Order, which was founded in 1528 in Camerino. (See the chapter on Camerino for more about the origins of the Capuchin Order.) To the right is the newer church. Due to the large crowds that were coming to see and hear Padre Pio, in 1956, construction was begun on this church, which was consecrated three years later.

With your back to Our Lady of Graces, look down Viale Cappuccini, and you can see the old village of San Giovanni Rotondo. It is difficult to imagine that just one century ago, this bustling street was a mere mule track. Many of the first spiritual sons and daughters of Padre Pio left testimonies regarding how they walked up the lonely dirt road, among fig trees and herds of goats, from the old village to listen to Padre Pio’s early morning Mass. In front of the old church, just before the stairs leading to the taxi stop, is an original sixteenth-century stone cross. When Capuchin friars founded churches, they always planted a cross in the square in front of them.

Inside the ancient church, above the altar, is the original sixteenth-century painting of Our Lady of Graces. Her feast is celebrated as a triduum from September 8-10 in San Giovanni Rotondo. Before the newer church was built, Padre Pio celebrated Mass here at the main altar or at the altar of St. Francis on the right aisle. He heard the women’s confessions in the confessional to the left in the rear of the main nave, while he confessed the men in the sacristy.

Buttressed against the old church and accessible from within is the newer, larger church. After it was built, Padre Pio celebrated Mass in this church. In the apse above the main altar is a large mosaic from the Vatican School, representing the same icon of Our Lady of Graces that is in the ancient church. In the side naves are nine altars, also embellished with mosaics.

After Padre Pio died, his body was interred in the crypt beneath the main altar until the construction of yet another newer, modern church, known as the Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church. From the crypt, you can follow an itinerary into parts of the old convent. In the first corridor are photographs of the saint’s origins in Pietrelcina, including his parents, his childhood home, and the Church of Sant’Anna, where he received his first sacraments. A flight of stairs (or elevator ride) up two floors leads to a room displaying relics and vestments worn by Padre Pio. Taking up an entire wall are shelves lined with thousands of letters sent to Padre Pio in one year alone. Next, there is another corridor with more photographs, vestments, and relics. Of note is an enlarged photograph of a young Padre Pio revealing his hands with the visible stigmata. It was taken under holy obedience shortly after he received the wounds.

The corridor leads to cell number 1, where Padre Pio lived from 1943 until his death. It has been left exactly the way it was the day he died on September 23, 1968. The corridor then passes through more rooms of the convent, with signs describing events in Padre Pio’s life. Finally, it passes the choir above the ancient church with a wooden crucifix. Here, on September 20, 1918, Padre Pio received the stigmata. In a letter written to his spiritual director, Padre Pio described a celestial personage “dripping with blood” who visited him. When he left, his own hands and feet were bloodied with the wounds of Christ.

Before leaving the sanctuary, visit the English-speaking office. It is not marked and is difficult to find. Go to the sacristy and ask someone to point you in the right direction. The office offers short videos in English about Padre Pio and the sanctuary. There is also a glove worn by Padre Pio with which you can receive a blessing.
While the above portions of the friary are open to the public, the main part of the friary is closed. In the private enclosure is cell number 5, where Padre Pio lived from 1918-1943. Inside are two significant relics. One is a blood-stained undershirt he wore beneath his habit. The other is Padre Pio’s heart. Preserved within a special reliquary, it is rarely seen by outsiders. Though the friars infrequently let visitors into the private section of the friary, it won’t hurt to ask. Go to the portineria (the door to the left of the ancient church) and ask if you can visit cell number 5.

The sprawling modern church, inaugurated as recently as 2004, is located downhill to the left of Our Lady of Graces. Known as the Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church, it can accommodate up to 6,500 people inside and 30,000 people in the plaza. It was designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano as an example of ultramodern architecture. The ramp and tomb are embellished by a series of mosaics realized by the (controversial) priest-artist Fr. Marko Rupnik.

In 2008, Padre Pio’s sarcophagus was opened, and his body was found to be partially decomposed. His face was preserved and covered with a silicon mask. Then his remains were moved to the crypt in the Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the friars temporarily relocated Padre Pio’s body back to the crypt below Our Lady of Graces. For the past few years, his body has been kept in the crypt in the Pilgrimage Church for most of the year but moved to the old crypt beneath Santa Maria delle Grazie temporarily during the winter months.

In addition to visiting the sanctuary complex, pilgrims to San Giovanni Rotondo can join a guided tour of the hospital, known as the Relief of Suffering. Inside, there is another museum dedicated to Padre Pio. Another site not to be missed is the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross). Located on the hillside behind the hospital, away from the busy sanctuary, it was desired by Padre Pio, though it was not inaugurated until 1971, after his death. Many pilgrims say that this is an ideal spot to find a quiet place to pray and meditate among the fragrant pine trees and Gargano rock. Other sites in San Giovanni Rotondo related to Padre Pio are the house of Mary Pyle (the American benefactress and spiritual daughter of Padre Pio) and a newly inaugurated wax museum.

The old village of San Giovanni Rotondo is a separate visit in and of itself. Few pilgrims to San Giovanni Rotondo venture into the old town, though there are numerous churches and monuments worth seeing. The main ones are Sant’Onofrio (not far from the cemetery, where Padre Pio’s parents are buried), the Mother Church of the city known as San Leonardo, San Nicola, the recently restored Church of Sant’Orsola, Santa Caterina of Alessandria, San Donato, and finally the ancient Church of San Giovanni Battista, known by locals as La Rotonda. St. John the Baptist is the patron saint of San Giovanni Rotondo.

For avid hiking enthusiasts, there are trails all over Mt. Calvo, the towering mountain overshadowing the Capuchin complex and village of San Giovanni Rotondo. There is even a walking trail all the way to Monte Sant’Angelo.

Plan your visit:
Train station: No (nearest station: Foggia)
Address: Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie
Piazzale S. Maria Grazie, San Giovanni Rotondo, 71013 (FG)
Website: www.conventosantuariopadrepio .it/en.html

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Pilgrim-Guide-Italy-Sanctuaries-ebook/dp/B0CQ593ZW8/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._FdXNF9N7ld3_kfHVi6X53VKWJQ8zs5wv5wxrfRo143Yj685cjyqYZAkyadyb6qgPtVb1BxOQrWb2gQMpOgXDfRNMrR0hou9HGcKwRu6gYSRRO9hSxCVyK55lJeV5Xf9TgWa62yHhInEDyYlHTxpefSiSPIVa_hlTSfN2JcE4IVVmT52erj3YXYRvRuVsVMCZvafycNN0uKw6rNMcmXED_rileAvikrbX1j_Q1OM3jdf5iQ40t5gOkxMHqcfi8PNO0vRnj0z_XedF5lUlSWA-8V5F83IuNwR-XRgxDHjaFU.4YgT_-4BLuP2JT-6r2xEhTdk1FmJVhnM-dXkbf74dvE&dib_tag=se&keywords=bret+thoman&qid=1727073216&sr=8-2

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