Shrines of Italy: Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

The Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina is located in the heart of San Giovani Rotundo and is famous for its connection to one of the 20th Century’s most popular saints. Designed in 2004 by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, the sanctuary is technically divided into four distinct parts, those being the upper and lower partitions of the modern church, and the original adjacent church with its prominent devotional path.

Construction on the modern church began shortly after the canonization of Saint Pio in 2002, with the intention of providing space for the nearly 7 million pilgrims who visit the sanctuary each year. The upper church alone can seat more than 6,000 people at one time, and the lower church can easily accommodate 500.

While the upper church boasts mainly of a post-modern, impressionistic design with its bland color pallet, abstract imagery, and McDonalds inspired arches, the lower church provides a notable contrast. Here, the walls and ceiling are often lined with gold, and display a variety of mosaics depicting various events from Saint Pio’s life. In general, the stylization of these mosaics is reminiscent of Byzantine artwork, albeit with a modern interpretation.

The center of the lower church itself is where this golden artwork becomes most striking. And it is here that the incorrupt body of Saint Pio is reserved for pilgrims to venerate. Of the many documented cases of miraculous preservation after death, Padre Pio’s case is one of the most convincing. Despite his death in 1968, his body was found to be in a state of remarkable preservation upon his exhumation in 2008, and remains so to this day.

Upon exiting the lower church, you can slowly make your way across the massive courtyard to reach the original church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, perhaps even stopping for a moment to admire the unique, horizontal bell tower associated with the modern church, as well as the many olive trees apparently intended to spring out of the concrete itself.

The original church technically consists of three sections, with the oldest having been constructed in 1676 along with the Capuchin friary. The newest section was inaugurated in 1959 when it became necessary to accommodate the growing number of people wishing to attend Saint Pio’s masses or to receive guidance from him. Architecturally, the design is fairly typical for churches of that era, with its most notable aspects being a large statue of Our Lady with the Christ Child, as well as the many side-altars containing mosaics which depict a variety of saints. The most unique of these mosaics is arguably the one featuring an image of the Archangel Michael.

A nearby staircase will connect you into the Capuchin friary, a sizable portion of which has been converted into a museum containing many artifacts related to Saint Pio and his life. Among these artifacts are various chalices and missals with which he said mass, as well as the personal robes and liturgical vestments worn by the saint on various occasions throughout his life. In some displays, you can even find such things as medical equipment, wheelchairs, and crutches, all of which were sent to Padre Pio at various points as tokens of gratitude, and as proof of miraculous healings wrought by his intercession. One room in particular contains a massive collection of correspondence; letters written to and from Saint Pio regarding everything from spiritual direction to the testimony of miraculous healings.

At the end of the museum, you can find one of the original cells in which Padre Pio lived and worked. Almost everything he owned, from a pair of shoes, to writing utensils, to the oxygen tank used at the end of his life, is preserved here. It’s a sobering thought to think that many of his famous encounters with angels and demons likely took place in this room.

Exiting the museum will bring you to the start of San Giovanni’s famous devotional path dedicated to the Stations of the Cross. While it is an immensely popular activity for the pilgrims who come here, it isn’t for the faint of heart. The path requires you to climb nearly a hundred steps to reach the first station, before winding it’s way up the mountain in a series of switchbacks. You can often find entire groups of pilgrims pausing to pray at these stations before continuing their ascent. About 20 minutes of consistent walking will bring you to the top of the path, where you will find an image of the Resurrection overlooking the village below, as well as the 500 steps leading directly back to it.

It's a good place to gain some perspective as you reflect on the significance that this one simple friar had on the church in the 20th Century and beyond. If sacrifice is the measure of significance, then there are few who can measure up to Saint Pio of Pietrelcina.