Overview
A large modern structure in which the remains of Padre Pio rest
The Church of St Pio of Pietrelcina is the reference point par excellence for devotees of Padre Pio, beatified by John Paul II in 1999 and proclaimed a saint by the same pontiff three years later.
The large church, designed by architect Renzo Piano and completed in 2004 after almost ten years of work, stands in San Giovanni Rotondo, the place where the Capuchin friar died after living there for many years.
The imposing building was commissioned by the Capuchin Friars Minor, to which Padre Pio belonged, with the aim of housing the saint’s relics and to be able to easily accommodate the thousands of worshippers who choose to travel to San Giovanni Rotondo as a pilgrimage destination for an almost mystical experience.
What you will find in front of you is a large modern structure, surrounded by a huge churchyard, consisting of an upper church, dedicated to liturgical celebrations, a smaller lower church, and a crypt, housing the saint’s body.
Piazzale Santa Maria delle Grazie, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo FG, Italy
