The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Pietrelcina, Italy

In a rustic village perched on a rocky hill in the Campanian Apennines, a baby boy named Francesco Forgione was born on May 25, 1887, to a poor farming family. The day after his birth, his parents Grazio and Maria Giuseppa carried him to the ancient Church of Sant'Anna, where he was baptized with the name of Francis of Assisi. No one could have imagined that this child from a family that "never had five lire in their pocket" would become one of the most beloved saints of the twentieth century—a priest who bore the wounds of Christ for fifty years.

Pietrelcina (pyeh-trehl-CHEE-nah) lies about twelve kilometers from the city of Benevento in the historic Sannio region of southern Italy. The village has preserved its medieval character remarkably well, with narrow cobblestone lanes winding through the ancient Castello district where Padre Pio spent his childhood. While most pilgrims to Padre Pio travel to San Giovanni Rotondo—where the saint spent fifty-two years and where his body now rests—visitors to Pietrelcina discover something different: the authentic simplicity of Padre Pio's origins, largely unchanged since the saint walked these same stone paths over a century ago.

Today, pilgrims follow in the footsteps of Francesco's early life through the winding streets of the old town and out to the peaceful countryside of Piana Romana, where the young priest experienced extraordinary mystical events. Pope Francis became the first pontiff to visit Pietrelcina on March 17, 2018, marking the fiftieth anniversary of Padre Pio's death and the centenary of his visible stigmata. "This humble Capuchin friar amazed the world," the Pope declared, "with his life devoted to prayer and patient listening to his brothers."

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

Francesco Forgione grew up in humble circumstances. His parents were illiterate farmers, and their dwelling consisted of two rooms without plumbing or electricity—one serving as a kitchen, the other as a bedroom. A trapdoor in the floor led to a cellar where the family kept their donkey. Young Francesco showed signs of deep spiritual sensitivity from his earliest years. He experienced visions and heavenly apparitions as a child, though he assumed such experiences were common to everyone.

To support his son's education and religious vocation, Francesco's father Grazio twice traveled to America to work and send money home. Thanks to this sacrifice, Francesco received private tutoring to meet the academic requirements for entering religious life. On January 6, 1903, at the age of fifteen, he left Pietrelcina for the Capuchin novitiate at Morcone, about forty kilometers away. His mother gave him a rosary and said simply, "My son, Saint Francis has called you, and you must go." Taking the religious habit, he chose the name "Pio" (Pius) in honor of St. Pius I, a second-century pope whose relics are venerated in Pietrelcina's Church of Sant'Anna.

The young friar's health proved fragile. Persistent illness forced him to spend extended periods back in Pietrelcina between 1909 and 1916. Because Capuchin rules did not permit a friar to live at his family home, his parents rented a small room called La Torretta—"the little tower"—built atop the ruins of an ancient baronial castle. Accessible only by steep stone stairs, this austere chamber became Padre Pio's hermitage during difficult years of physical weakness and spiritual torment.

It was during this time that extraordinary mystical graces began to manifest. On September 7, 1910—less than a month after celebrating his first Mass—Padre Pio was praying beneath an elm tree at Piana Romana when Jesus and Mary appeared to him. Afterward, he showed the parish priest wounds that had appeared in the center of his hands. The two priests prayed together that the visible marks would disappear, and they did—though the pain remained. This was the first of the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, which would later become permanently visible in 1918 at San Giovanni Rotondo.

During his years in Pietrelcina, Padre Pio wrote extensively to his spiritual directors, leaving a remarkable record of his inner life. In these letters, he described visions of Jesus, Mary, his guardian angel, and St. Francis. He also recounted fierce spiritual battles with the devil, who tormented him with both temptations and physical attacks. Yet even in his suffering, Padre Pio remained deeply attached to his native village. Years later, he would say with emotion: "I remember stone upon stone in Pietrelcina" and "In Pietrelcina there was Jesus, and everything started there."

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Pietrelcina

Pietrelcina's sacred sites are concentrated in two areas: the historic center (particularly the ancient Castello district) and the countryside of Piana Romana about three kilometers away. Pilgrims typically begin in the town center, visiting the places associated with Padre Pio's childhood and early priesthood, before walking or driving to Piana Romana where he first received the stigmata.

Casa Natale di Padre Pio (Birthplace of Padre Pio)

Local Name: Casa Natale di Padre Pio

Address: Vico Storto Valle 32, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

GPS Coordinates: 41.1971, 14.8505

Google Maps: View on Google Maps

Dedication: St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Historical Note: The house where Francesco Forgione was born consists of several rooms along a narrow lane in the Castello district—the oldest part of Pietrelcina. One room served as his parents' bedroom, where Padre Pio came into the world on May 25, 1887. A trapdoor in the floor still shows where the family's donkey was kept below. The kitchen displays cooking utensils and furnishings from the period, including the chair where young Francesco sat by the fireplace. Nearby is his childhood bedroom, containing a stone that tradition says he used as a pillow.

Spiritual Importance: Visiting these humble rooms offers pilgrims a profound glimpse into the poverty from which one of the Church's greatest mystics emerged. The simplicity of the surroundings speaks to the universal truth that holiness can flourish anywhere. Many visitors report being deeply moved by the authenticity of the space, which has been carefully preserved without commercialization.

Chiesa di Sant'Anna (Church of St. Anne)

Local Name: Chiesa di Sant'Anna

Address: Via Sant'Anna, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

GPS Coordinates: 41.1975, 14.8507

Google Maps: View on Google Maps

Dedication: St. Anne; St. Pius the Martyr

Historical Note: This is the oldest church in Pietrelcina, with origins dating to the thirteenth century. After severe damage from an earthquake in 1688, it was rebuilt in its present form. The church features two naves; the main altar displays a seventeenth-century painting of Our Lady of Loreto. A smaller nave contains statues from the 1600s representing the Assumption, the Crowning of the Virgin, and St. Rose. The relics of St. Pius the Martyr, a second-century pope originally buried in the Catacombs of St. Priscilla in Rome, were donated to the church by feudal lords in 1801 and rest beneath an altar dedicated to St. Anne.

Spiritual Importance: This sacred space witnessed the most important moments of Padre Pio's early spiritual life. Here he was baptized on May 26, 1887, at the stone baptismal font that still stands near the entrance. On September 27, 1899, at age twelve, he received both First Communion and Confirmation from Archbishop Donato Maria Dell'Olio of Benevento. Throughout his youth, Francesco came here for regular confession and Mass. He later described receiving extraordinary mystical graces within these walls, including visions of the Virgin Mary, his guardian angel, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A bronze door added in 2000 for the Great Jubilee features eight panels depicting scenes from Padre Pio's life in Pietrelcina. The church is located near the Belvedere, a panoramic lookout point over the village.

Chiesa Santa Maria degli Angeli (Church of St. Mary of the Angels)

Local Name: Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli

Address: Piazza Santissima Annunziata, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

GPS Coordinates: 41.1970, 14.8495

Google Maps: View on Google Maps

Dedication: St. Mary of the Angels; Madonna della Libera

Historical Note: This is the Mother Church (Chiesa Madre) of Pietrelcina, where the Madonna della Libera is venerated. Padre Pio held special devotion to this image, affectionately calling her "Our small Madonna." The church preserves a seventeenth-century canvas painting of the Madonna of Loreto behind the main altar. Each year, the statue of the Madonna della Libera, adorned with jewelry donated by the faithful, is carried through the streets in solemn procession—the most important celebration in the town's annual calendar.

Spiritual Importance: This church marks major milestones in Padre Pio's priestly vocation. Here he was ordained a deacon in 1909 and celebrated his first Holy Mass on August 14, 1910—the eve of the Assumption—just four days after his priestly ordination. It was also here that he administered his first Baptism, to a child who would later become a Redemptorist priest. During his years of illness in Pietrelcina, Padre Pio based his pastoral ministry at this church, celebrating Mass and hearing the confessions of the local faithful.

La Torretta (The Little Tower)

Local Name: La Torretta

Address: Vico Storto Valle 1 / Via Salita Castello, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

GPS Coordinates: 41.1973, 14.8504

Google Maps: View on Google Maps

Dedication: St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Historical Note: Perched atop the remains of an ancient baronial castle, this small room accessible only by steep stone stairs served as Padre Pio's dwelling from 1909 to 1912. Because Capuchin rules required that friars living outside the convent not reside with their families, Padre Pio's parents rented this austere space for their ailing son. The room contained only a bed, a small table, and a window. The building was damaged by an earthquake in 1962 and subsequently restored.

Spiritual Importance: La Torretta witnessed some of the most intense spiritual experiences of Padre Pio's life. In this solitary room, he wrote countless letters to his spiritual directors, Father Benedetto Nardella and Father Agostino Daniele—correspondence that forms an extraordinary spiritual autobiography. Here he experienced consoling visions: "The Madonna, Jesus, my Guardian Angel, and St. Francis were close to me," he wrote. "They guided and consoled me during these times of trial." But La Torretta also witnessed his fierce spiritual battles with the devil, who tormented him both spiritually and physically. The simplicity of this hermitage speaks powerfully to pilgrims about the hidden life of prayer from which Padre Pio's holiness emerged.

Chiesa della Sacra Famiglia e Convento dei Cappuccini

Local Name: Chiesa della Sacra Famiglia / Convento dei Frati Minori Cappuccini

Address: Viale Cappuccini, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

GPS Coordinates: 41.1950, 14.8465

Google Maps: View on Google Maps

Website: www.pietrelcina.info

Dedication: The Holy Family

Historical Note: This church and adjacent Capuchin friary were built at Padre Pio's direct request. When townspeople asked the American benefactress Mary Pyle to help construct a convent, she consulted Padre Pio, who replied: "Yes, do it right away and dedicate the church to the Holy Family." Construction began in 1926 and was completed in 1951, with Pyle financing the entire project. The complex includes a museum housing relics and personal objects related to Saint Pio's life.

Spiritual Importance: Located at the entrance to Pietrelcina along Viale Cappuccini, this church represents Padre Pio's continued spiritual connection to his hometown even after he had settled permanently at San Giovanni Rotondo. The museum offers pilgrims the opportunity to view personal items that belonged to the saint, deepening their understanding of his life and spirituality.

Piana Romana and the Chapel of St. Francis

Local Name: Piana Romana / Cappella di San Francesco

Address: Piana Romana, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

GPS Coordinates: 41.2033, 14.8617

Google Maps: View on Google Maps

Dedication: St. Francis of Assisi; St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Historical Note: Piana Romana is a broad, fertile plain in the countryside about three kilometers from Pietrelcina's town center. The Forgione family owned a small plot of land here with a simple stone farmhouse (masseria) where they grew vegetables and grazed sheep. Young Francesco spent countless hours helping his parents work the land. It was in these fields that he met a Capuchin friar named Fra Camillo, whose beard inspired the boy's dream of becoming "a monk with a beard." As a young priest during his years of illness, Padre Pio would walk to Piana Romana after Mass, following a woodland path now known as the Via del Rosario (Rosary Walk), to pray beneath a large elm tree.

The Chapel of St. Francis, constructed beginning in 1958 thanks to Padre Pio's childhood friend Mercurio Scocca, was built around the trunk of this elm tree, which has been preserved in place with special resins. A pine-lined avenue now leads pilgrims to the site. In 2021, a piazza dedicated to the "People of the United States of America" was inaugurated near the chapel, featuring Timothy Schmalz's life-size sculpture "I Embrace You"—honoring the role America played in Padre Pio's life through his father's work there.

Spiritual Importance: Piana Romana is where heaven touched earth in Padre Pio's life. On the afternoon of September 7, 1910—less than a month after celebrating his first Mass—the young priest was praying beneath the elm tree when Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him. For the first time, the wounds of Christ appeared on his hands. Both Jesus and Mary stood with him under that very tree. Padre Pio later confided: "In Pietrelcina there was Jesus, and everything started there." Cardinal Comastri, preaching to the people of Pietrelcina, compared this place to Jacob's vision: "The Lord is in this place... This is the house of God, this is the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:16-17). Pope Francis visited this sacred site on March 17, 2018, praying in the chapel before addressing the faithful.

Via del Rosario (The Rosary Walk)

Local Name: Via del Rosario

Address: Between Pietrelcina town center and Piana Romana, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

GPS Coordinates: Start: 41.1970, 14.8495; End: 41.2033, 14.8617

Google Maps: View on Google Maps

Dedication: The Holy Rosary

Historical Note: This three-kilometer woodland path connects Pietrelcina's town center to Piana Romana. Padre Pio walked this route throughout his childhood with his family and later, as an ordained priest, followed it after Mass to spend time in prayer and study at the family farmhouse. The path has been restored and is now maintained for pilgrims who wish to walk in the saint's footsteps.

Spiritual Importance: Walking the Via del Rosario allows pilgrims to experience Pietrelcina as Padre Pio knew it—moving from the village out into the peaceful countryside, praying the rosary as they go. The roughly forty-five-minute walk offers time for meditation and helps pilgrims appreciate the daily rhythms of the saint's early life.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

September 23 – Feast of St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Churches throughout Pietrelcina and Piana Romana. The town celebrates its most famous son with solemn Masses, processions, and special events. Pilgrims gather from around the world to honor the saint on the anniversary of his death (September 23, 1968). The celebration often extends over several days, with particular devotion shown at the Chapel of St. Francis in Piana Romana and at the Church of Sant'Anna where Padre Pio was baptized.

Second Sunday of September – Festa della Madonna della Libera

Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli. The annual feast of the town's patroness, the Madonna della Libera ("Our Lady of Liberation"), whom Padre Pio called "Our small Madonna." The statue of Mary, adorned with ex-voto jewelry offered by the faithful, is carried in procession through the streets of Pietrelcina. This is the most important traditional celebration in the town's calendar, drawing crowds of locals and visitors alike.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Hotel Lombardi ⭐⭐⭐

📍 Address: Via Nazionale 39, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com

A comfortable three-star hotel located near the center of Pietrelcina with easy access to pilgrimage sites. Family-run with a restaurant serving local Campanian cuisine.

B&B Casa di Padre Pio

📍 Address: Via Sant'Anna 45, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

A bed and breakfast in the historic center of Pietrelcina, within walking distance of Padre Pio's birthplace and the Church of Sant'Anna. Simple accommodations in an authentic setting.

Hotel Parco delle Rose ⭐⭐⭐⭐

📍 Address: Via Padre Pio 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo FG, Italy

🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com

Many pilgrims visiting Pietrelcina stay in San Giovanni Rotondo (about 130 km east), where accommodations are more plentiful. This four-star hotel offers comfortable rooms and easy access to the Padre Pio shrine.

Hotel San Pio ⭐⭐⭐

📍 Address: Via Benevento, 82020 Pietrelcina BN, Italy

A three-star hotel on the outskirts of Pietrelcina offering modern amenities and parking. Suitable for pilgrims traveling by car.

🚗 Getting There

By Air: The nearest major airport is Naples International Airport (NAP), approximately 90 km southwest of Pietrelcina. From Naples, rent a car or take public transportation via Benevento. Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is approximately 260 km away.

By Train: Trains run from Rome and Naples to Benevento station (about 8 km from Pietrelcina). Regional trains from Naples Centrale to Benevento take approximately 1.5 hours. From Benevento station, take a local bus or taxi to Pietrelcina. Note: There is no direct rail service between Benevento and San Giovanni Rotondo.

By Bus: Bus services connect Benevento to Pietrelcina. Schedules vary, so check current timetables. Organized pilgrimage tours often include transportation between Pietrelcina and San Giovanni Rotondo.

By Car: From Naples, take the A16 autostrada toward Bari, exit at Benevento, and follow signs to Pietrelcina (approximately 90 km total). From Rome, take the A1 south to the A16, then proceed to Benevento (approximately 250 km). From San Giovanni Rotondo, the drive to Pietrelcina is approximately 130 km via the A16/A14 autostrade, taking about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Getting to Piana Romana: The sanctuary at Piana Romana is about 3 km from Pietrelcina's town center. Pilgrims can walk via the Via del Rosario (about 45 minutes), drive, or take a taxi. The road is well-signposted.

📚 Further Reading

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✝️ Closing Reflection

"I remember stone upon stone in Pietrelcina."

— St. Pio of Pietrelcina

For the most current information regarding Mass times and site accessibility, pilgrims are encouraged to contact the local parish or the Capuchin Friary in Pietrelcina. The Rosary Walk between Pietrelcina and Piana Romana is accessible year-round but may be muddy after rain.