Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index Saint Pater Pio (or Padre Pio) (May 25, 1887 - September 23, 1968) was an Italian priest who had stigmata for many years. He acquired fame as a miracle worker and clairvoyant. He is also alleged to have been able to bilocate and was granted a dispensation from ever saying the Novus Ordo Mass. On June 16, 2002, Pope John Paul II proclaimed the famous Pater Pio as Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. Biographical outline: Born in Pietrelcina, Italy Baptised in Santa Anna Church, Pietrelcina Joined Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in 1903 Ordained in Cathedral of Benevento in 1910 Assigned priest at Santa Maria degli Angeli (Our Lady of the Angels), Pietrelcina; stigmata began Served in Italian Medial Corps 1917-1918 Began plans for Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (Home to Relieve Suffering) in 1940; hospital opened in San Giovanni Rotondo in 1956 During the communist totalitarianism, Pater Pio told to Cardinal Tomasek: "You will not die, until your motherland will be free." Although this appeared to be impossible, especially after the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968, his prophecy became a reality in 1989. Cardinal Tomasek and together with him all of Czechoslovakia lived to see freedom. External links EWTN bio Padre Pio Foundation of America Vatican bio This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.