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ST. PIO OF PIETRELICINA
The Italian Capuchin saint, Padre Pio, was ordained on August 10, 1910 at the age of 23.
In 1912, he received intermittently the invisible stigmata. Christ's sacred wounds were invisibly imprinted on his hands, feet and side. The wounds could not be seen, but the pain and swelling of them were there. In 1916, his superiors sent him to the friary in San Giovanni, Rotondo. He lived there until he died.
On September 20, 1918, at 31 years of age, a piercing cry escaped his lips during his thanksgiving after Mass. He was pierced and bleeding from five wounds in his hands, feet and side. The stigmata had become visible and was to remain with him until shortly before he died. He was the first priest to be so honored! There have been about 300 stigmatisms in the history of the Catholic Church.
During his ling life, Padre Pio accomplished many deeds that were far beyond the scope of ordinary mortals.
He died a holy death on September 23, 1968 at 2:30 AM with the words "Jesus and Mary" on his lips and his Rosary in his hands. He was beatified in May 1999 and St. Pope John Paul II canonized "Padre" Pio of Pietrelcina, OFM Cap. a saint of the Catholic Church in Rome on June 16, 2002, with over 500,000 people in attendance.
Source:
Dear God, You generously blessed Your servant, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, with the firts of the Spirit. You marked his body with the five wounds of Christ Crucified, as a powerful witness to the saving Passion and Death of Your Son.
Endowed with the gift of discernment, St. Pio labored endlessly in the confessional for the salvation of souls. With reverence and intense devotion in the celebration of Mass, he invited countless men and women to a greater union with Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
Through the intercession of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, I confidently beseech You to grant me the grace of (state your petition). Amen.