Vatican City - June 16, 2002
Today Padre Pio has been canonized: He is now a Saint.

Visit the image gallery of this special
day in the Holy See.

Padre Pio's Biography
He was born on 25 May 1887 at Pietrelcina in Italy, and was baptized with the name of Francesco.

At the age of sixteen, he entered the novitiate of the Capuchin Friars where  he took the Franciscan habit and the name Padre Pio.

In 1918 he received, as sign of his deep devotion, the Stigmata (the impression of the wounds of Christ) on his hands, his feet and his side.  This Gift of Love from Christ he carried for fifty years. He was the only priest in the history of the Church as far as we know, who was blessed with the stigmata.

For the Servant of God, faith was life: he willed everything and did everything in the light of faith. He was assiduously devoted to prayer. He passed the day and a large part of the night in conversation with God. He would say: “In books we seek God, in prayer we find him. Prayer is the key which opens God's heart”. Faith led him always to accept God's mysterious will.

His devotion to the Virgin Mary was absolute. These are some phrases from him:

"When one achnowledges the importance of the Blessed Mother in Her Immaculate Conception, it is the first step on the path of salvation."

"Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today."

"All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother."

Many photographs show Padre Pio laughing and smiling with his right hand hidden in his chest-high pocket. He is actually doing two things at the same time. He is laughing, telling humerous stories and praying his rosary. This is another gift granted by God to his special chosen son.

With great tenderness, he always spoke of the Blessed Mother as "my dear little Mother."

Padre Pio celebrated his last mass on 22 september 1968, the death took him well prepared and serene on 23 September 1968 at the age of eighty-one; On Padre Pio's death bed, his final words that he kept repeating were: "Jesus-Mary; Jesus-Mary; Jesus-Mary."

The stigmata disappeared at the moment of his death.

People are still being cured through his intercession in ways that cannot be explained by medicine or science: one of these miracolous event was the healing of an italian boy from the meningitis. During the coma Brother Pio appeared to him in a dream, and immediatly he was healed. Thanks to this well documented miracle, Pope John Paul II has canonized today Padre Pio Saint, his day will be the September 23.

The Luminous Mysteries

In a recent apostolic letter, the Rosarium Virginis Mariae the Holy Fahter  introduced a new set of mysteries: the Luminous Mysteries. He has also named this the year of the Rosary.

Little resume:
What are the new mysteries called?
The Mysteries of Light, or Luminous Mysteries.
What are the mysteries?
1) the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan;
2) the wedding feast at Cana;
3) the announcement of the Kingdom;
4) the Transfiguration, and
5) the institution of the Eucharist.
What day do you pray them on?
The Holy Father has suggested this new schedule:

Sunday: Glorious
Monday: Joyful
Tuesday: Sorrowful
Wednesday: Glorious
Thursday: Luminous
Friday: Sorrowful
Saturday: Joyful

Remember you are free to pray the Rosary in any way you wish. It is a private devotion.

VATICAN, Oct 16, 02

Pope John Paul II today observed the 24th anniversary of his papal election with a dramatic gesture, issuing an apostolic letter in which he proposes five new mysteries to the Rosary.

The apostolic letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae ("The Rosary of the Virgin Mary") also proclaims a special year of dedication to the Rosary, beginning today and running through the same date next year. The Pope asks that the Rosary be prayed particularly for the causes of world peace and the strengthening of family life. The most spectacular new message of Rosarium Virginis Mariae is the Pope's proposal of five new mysteries to the Rosary-- a dramatic adaptation of a traditional prayer that has been unchanged for centuries. Pope John Paul recommends the addition of five "luminous mysteries," or "mysteries of light," in addition to the joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries. He recommends that the joyful mysteries be used on Mondays and Saturdays, the sorrowful mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays, the glorious mysteries of Sundays and Wednesdays, and the new luminous mysteries on Thursdays. The "mysteries of light" would be drawn from the life of Christ, and his public revelation of his divine nature and mission. They are to be:

1) the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan;
2) the wedding feast at Cana;
3) the announcement of the Kingdom;
4) the Transfiguration, and
5) the institution of the Eucharist.

The Holy Father opens his apostolic letter with a reminder that October is traditionally a month devoted to the Rosary. And he emphasizes the power of that traditional prayer, which "blends easily into the spiritual journey of the Christian life."

Read the entire letter

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