Saint Padre Pio

St. Padre Pio: Pope Francis to Be Present in Pietrelcina

Will Also Visit San Giovanni Rotondo

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Pope Francis will make a pastoral visit tomorrow, March 17, 2018 to the Italian towns of Pietrelcina and San Giovanni Rotondo, the places most associated with Saint Padre Pio.  This is according to a December 19, 2017, statement from the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke.
The year marks the 100th anniversary of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina receiving the stigmata, as well as the 50th anniversary of his death. St. Pio was born in Pietrelcina on May 25, 1887, and died on September 23, 1968, at his Capuchin monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo.
During the Jubilee Year of Mercy, Pope Francis had requested that Padre Pio’s reliquary be present in St. Peter’s Basilica for Ash Wednesday.
St. Pio’s remains were exposed for veneration from February 8-14, 2016.
Pope Francis follows in the footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II, who visited San Giovanni Rotondo on May 23, 1987, and Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, who traveled there on June 21, 2009.
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To watch Pope Francis’ visit, watch here:
Pastoral Visit of the Holy Father to Pietrelcina and San Giovanni Rotondo: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/event.dir.html/content/vaticanevents/en/2018/3/17/pietrelcina-sangiovannirotondo.html
Meeting Faithful: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/event.dir.html/content/vaticanevents/en/2018/3/17/pietrelcina-fedeli.html
Pastoral Visit to San Giovanni Rotondo: Eucharistic Concelebration: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/event.dir.html/content/vaticanevents/en/2018/3/17/pietrelcina-concelebrazione.html

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Deborah Castellano Lubov

Deborah Castellano Lubov is Senior Vatican & Rome Correspondent for ZENIT; author of 'The Other Francis' ('L'Altro Francesco') featuring interviews with those closest to the Pope and preface by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin (currently published in 5 languages); Deborah is also NBC & MSNBC Vatican Analyst. She often covers the Pope's travels abroad, often from the Papal Flight (including for historic trips such as to Abu Dhabi and Japan & Thailand), and has also asked him questions on the return-flight press conference on behalf of the English-speaking press present. Lubov has done much TV & radio commentary, including for NBC, Sky, EWTN, BBC, Vatican Radio, AP, Reuters and more. She also has contributed to various books on the Pope and has written for various Catholic publications. For 'The Other Francis': http://www.gracewing.co.uk/page219.html or https://www.amazon.com/Other-Francis-Everything-They-about/dp/0852449348/

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