Where Padre Pio was Born

If you are in Pietrelcina and looking for the actual home where Padre Pio was born. Here are the directions to find it. Using the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Angels as the starting point, continue on through the narrow stone street in front of you and you will arrive at a fork in the road. There are now two choices; steps going down (this will bring you to the Rosary Walk) and steps going up. Choose the steps going up. This brings you to one of the oldest parts of the town called ‘The Castello’ region.

Here you will will find his original neighbourhood and birth place. This is where Padre Pio was born and where he grew up. It is no wonder that most pilgrims visit this area as soon as they arrive in Pietrelcina. Although there is an information center located right next to the house of his birth, it is not always open and you will find that much of the material can be found in shop inside the Parish Church itself.

The original neighbourhood

One thing I need to point out here. Yes, it is true that many of the pilgrims come to Pietrelcina specifically to see the house where Padre Pio was born and frequent tourists do go through the the Castello region for some periods during the day. However, this is still a residential area and when all the visitors have gone, it reverts back to its old self, a genuine old Italian village/town. The best visits we have made here have been in the dead of night or late in the afternoon when no one is around.

Still, anytime is good and well worth a visit. The following is a collection of photos we took during the first few years of being in Pietrelcina. The music is from singing that was recorded in the parish church and from an outdoor service in town.

The Castello Region – Where Padre Pio was Born

Sanio to Parish Church

From Il Sanio to The Parish Church

The first part of the route takes us from ‘Il Sanio Restaurant’ and on past the Friary and Museum, the Elementary School, a small square with outdoor cafe and then through the main street, via Cappucini. This street has several shops – some with souviniers but also has some places where you can buy every-day needs. Going down a few steps we come to the main square and view it during its many seasons and activities. Going straight, at the other side of the square, we come to the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Angels.
This was where Padre Pio said his first mass and where he continued to minister to the parishioners for the next six years of his life before going to Foggia and San Giovani Rotondo.
The church is also famous for the statue of Our Lady of Liberty – the patron of the area.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDWfj0cZ1-4&t=11s

Prayer Garden

Our reason for having a ‘Prayer Garden’ was simple. Over the years we had found a deeper love for this little town and had begun to experience the truth of what Padre Pio said about Pietrelcina towards the end of his life, that it would be “especially blessed by God” after he died. We feel this is a place which draws one into a deeper spirituality and allows one to find the time to be quiet and peaceful and to listen to the Word of God. Therefore, in 2011 we decided to buy some land in Pietrelcina with the intention of creating a garden for prayer and meditation. A simple idea and a simple goal.

The original field for the Prayer Garden Pietrelcina — Original Field of the Prayer Garden

We found a field for sale, only a four minute walk from our house and the centre of town and, with God’s help, we were able to buy it.

Here are some video records showing the progress of the garden over the following three years.

Recent view of the Prayer Garden — Recent View of the Garden

Prayer Garden 2012-2013

Prayer Garden 2014

So now that we have introduced you to the Prayer Garden, we would love to have your input and suggestions on how it could best be used in the Lord’s service.

For artists needing some painting inspiration? For young (or not so young) persons wanting to potter about in nature? As a place for pilgrims or pilgrim groups to come and sit for awhile in the countryside?

If you would like to get involved or offer some suggestions, please leave us a message using the form on this page. We look forward to hearing from you.

David & Ursula West

Recent photos of the Prayer Garden

White Roses Pergola & Cabin View from under the Pergola 1 Prayer Garden from under small oak Plum Tree Sitting in the Oak grove Marigolds garden entrance Grafted pear trees Garden side view and town Garden Entrance Evening View in Garden Large Oak at sunset Prayer Garden white Roses Prayer Garden white Roses View of town from bottom of garden

St. Padre Pio and Madona del Libera

Growing up in Pietrelcina, St. Padre Pio was of course steeped in the local devotion to Our Lady of Liberty.

However, it seems he also had a very personal devotion to her. One old resident related to us personally that Padre Pio had been seen talking to Our Lady at the foot of the altar. This, of course, is hearsay, but it does reflect the local knowledge that the devotion of the saint to Our Lady was very real. To demonstrate this, they commissioned a bronze statue of him kneeling and looking as though he is gazing up at ‘Madona Della Libera’ above the altar.

The life-size statue of the kneeling saint, is situated half way down the left side of the church, and although it may seem at first that the Madona’s gaze meets that of the saint, if you take a closer look, you will see that he is looking high above her at the beautiful fresco of the Last Supper, high above the altar. Somehow, even in his statuesque form, he demonstrates that love of Mary leads us straight to the Heart of her son, Jesus.

Our Story

We came to Pietrelcina for the first time in 1988. Our family – ourselves and our four young sons, were on a two week coach trip/pilgrimage from England to San Giovani Rotondo in Puglia. Now, 30 years on, we are living in Pietrelcina most of the time.

The full story is here, on the About Us page. We believe it was truly the Lord who directed us here and helped us to overcome the many obstacles we encountered along the way. He has a plan and we are slowly unfolding it

Our Lady of Liberty

The story of Our Lady of Liberty goes back nearly one and a half thousand years to the time of St. Barbatus who was then the Bishop of Benevento.

At that time the city, and the surrounding countryside, were living in fear. The Byzantine Greek armies had already inflicted many horrors on other towns in southern Italy and now they had set up camp in the valley between Benevento and the neighbouring hillside towns which included Pietrelcina.

Without help, their city and the countryside around, would surely have been lost. He promised that if they honoured their Christian faith, and gave up the pagan worship that still lingered in their culture, God would deliver them and give them peace. This was around the year 650 AD. Against all odds, the armies packed up and left for good. The city and villages survived and they remained faithful to their Christian beliefs. The Bishop had also told them to ask the Mother of God to pray for them. He told them to pray to her under the title ‘Madona Della Libera’ which means ‘Our Lady of Liberty’ or Deliverance.

This devotion spread all over the south of Italy but in Pietrelcina, it has been kept alive in a very personal way through miraculous interventions over many years.

The latest historical incidence, involving the whole town, was in 1854 when Pietrelcina residents were dropping dead by the dozen from a Cholera epidemic. By November that year it was reported that people were collapsing on the streets and the situation was getting worse. Remembering the old story of deliverance, the town decided to act. On December 2^nd, they crowded into the parish church before the 200 year old wooden statue of their beloved ‘Libera’ and afterwards took her in procession through the streets so that death, like the armies, would flee before her. From that moment, no more sickness or death was reported in Pietrelcina.

They still keep the feast of Madona della Libera in December but also celebrate the festa and the procession of the statue through the town, in early August. This allows people from the surrounding towns, past residents of Pietrelcina and other visitors to travel to Pietrelcina and take part in this very spiritual event and the many festive and cultural events that mark the occasion.

For the entire week preceding the event, many religious activities take place, not the least of which is daily mass and rosary at 5.30 in the morning. There is also a prayer vigil which takes place at midnight, just before the main day.

It has been reported that many miracles and favours have been granted through the intercession of Our Lady of Liberty and, as a thanksgiving token, people have left gifts of gold chains and medallions which, over the years, have been woven into a mantle which covers the statue during the procession.

It is estimated that over 40 thousand people attend the 3 day festa each year and it is still regarded as a solemn and important occasion.

Read about Padre Pio and Madona Della Libera

Festa Procession

There are several feasts celebrated with special events and processions throughout the year.

16-17 January: The first is in January and is celebrated in towns all over Italy. It is the feast of St. Anthony of Egypt who was an early mystic who was said to be ‘On Fire’ with the love of God.

To commemorate him, the locals here build bonfires in several areas across the town. Neighbours group together and prepare delicious finger foods – sausages, vegetables, packets of small seafood etc etc. It really is a wonderful mix of fun and food all wrapped up in a community spirit. A great way to get to know people.

May 25th: the birthday of Padre Pio and is celebrated in different ways each year. His actual feast day is later in the year.

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First Week of August : The Main Festa, when the town is transformed into a local centre of pilgrimage and is accompanied by non-stop events, is to honour Our Lady of Liberty who is the patron and protector of the town.

This devotion goes back 1,400 years to the time of St. Barbatus of Benevento when the town and the whole region was saved from certain domination by an invading army. This is not the only feast Our Lady of Liberty. There is yet another one in December to mark the sudden deliverance from a deadly epidemic in 1854. Padre Pio gave great importance to the 5th December feast and, of course, so do the residents of Pietrelcina.

The summer Festa is celebrated with great devotion and allows the residents, past and present, to organize outdoor events which continue from the Friday night, through the weekend and ends with a procession through the entire town on Sunday evening. Over the years, intercession to Our Lady of Liberty has resulted in many favours and miracles from God and people naturally want to honour their intercessor.

Many gold objects, medallions, watches, rings, bracelets, necklaces, have been donated to deck the statue on its processional journey. These are pinned onto a velvet garment that is draped around the statue on the Friday night. In 2013, we managed to go behind the scenes to film the procedure.

This event is not normally seen by everyone who come to join the Festa. The dressing begins around midnight inside the darkened Parish church of Our Lady of the Angels, while outside in the square, the dancing and singing was coming to an end. This yearly procedure of the ‘dressing of the statue’ is worth watching.

The church remains open from early morning to late at night for the next three days and whilst the entertainment is going on in the square outside, many people sit quietly praying in the candle lit church.

The last event of the Festa happens on Sunday evening after 6 o’clock mass. The statue of Our Lady of Liberty is taken down from above the main altar and brought out to be carried through the streets of the town in a faithful re-enactment of the time in 1854, when they carried it through the town as an act of faith that God would stop the dying of people caused by an epidemic. It did.

Starting from the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Angels it first goes through the Castello region then on through the Riella. The first pictures of the procession show it coming up Via Riella on its way up and across the square and on to the newer part of the town. From there it travels back down past the hotel Lombardi Park and turns into Via Cappucini and stops at the Cappuchin Friary Church (Holy Family Church). At this point, it stops for some time while for a very impressive fireworks display.

It moves again along the main street before turning down Via Roma, making a u-turn to continue around the bottom end of the town. Finally, it passes through all the stalls set up on both sides of Corso Padre Pio and arrives back at the piazza and the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Angels.

First Blog Post

Well, here we are, this is the start of a new chapter in the Visit Pietrelcina site. The start of putting ideas, happenings, aims and plans on paper and sharing it with our site visitors.

It is also about the ups and downs of the process and living here in Pietrelcina.

Three weeks ago we arrived back from a visit to Malta and I broke my ankle. Not a clever thing to do. I cannot blame the weather, the roads or anything else. I got on my bike (electric variety) to go around the corner to visit David in the field (prayer garden) and did not notice some gravel on the road that was washed down by recent rain. Then I did the absolutely wrong thing. When I came to the corner, going at about 1 mile an hour, I pulled on the front brake to stop. Your should NEVER pull on the front brake on gravel! I gracefully toppled over sideways and my ankle got the brunt of it.

So, I got to experience, first hand, the emergency service at the Sacred Heart Fatebenefratelli (Good Brothers) Hospital’ in Benevento.

After returning home with my leg in a cast, I then received a very interesting course in ‘coping’ where I learned (rather quickly) that I was not able to dash about and do things at will. What a quick learning curve that was. It is amazing how cranky one becomes under those circumstances. So, my next learning curve was learning how to be a much calmer person.

How I am looking forward to next Friday (8th June) when I go to get the cast removed (hopefully).

Well, we will see.

Hotel Rosario

This Hotel is located at the centre of the town, just off the main square. It has a breakfast room with garden, bar, TV room and internet point. It is just a few steps away from the Parish Church.

Address:
Corso Padre Pio 16/18
Pietrelcina (BN)

Tel / Fax: +39 0824 990021

Email: pietrelcinahotelrosario@gmail.com

Lombardi Park Hotel

This is the Largest hotel in the area offering ample accommodation for individuals, families and groups. A one minute walk from the Convent Church and the Padre Pio Museum and a 5 minute walk from the old town.

Address & Info:

Via Nazionali, 1,
Pietrelcina, BN
Italy

Phone: +39 0824 991206 and +39 0824 991144
Fax: +39 0824 991253

Website Address: http://www.lombardiparkhotel.it