DAY 1 - Monday, 4th May - Pietrelcina, birthplace of Padre Pio

This morning, we will fly from Dublin to Naples and upon arrival meet our Marian Pilgrimages representative who will remain with us for the duration of our pilgrimage.

Views of the picturesque landscape will make for an enjoyable drive to Pietrelcina, birthplace of Padre Pio. After lunch in a local restaurant, our guided walking tour will take us to the room where baby Francesco was born and the Church of Sant Anna where he was baptised. As we walk along the cobbled streets of the quaint town, we will hear of Francesco's years growing up in Pietrelcina, his dream of becoming a monk with a beard and of those who helped him to realise this dream.

Our afternoon will conclude with the celebration of Mass in the Church of the Holy Family and afterwards visit the museum, where items dating back to Padre Pio's years in Pietrelcina are carefully preserved.

After our day in Pietrelcina we will continue our drive to San Giovanni Rotondo, home to Padre Pio for over fifty years. After checking into our hotel, we will have time to relax before dinner.


DAY 2 - Tuesday, 5th May Padre Pio & Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza


70th Anniversary of the inauguration of Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza


Veneration of the Mantle of St. Francis of Assisi


The dream of Padre Pio on his arrival in 1916 to San Giovanni Rotondo was to transform the unknown agricultural town into a hospital city. His first hospital, a modest hospital with just twenty beds, built in the old town of San Giovanni Rotondo in 1925, Padre Pio dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. The year of 1956 would however see Padre Pio finally realise his dream with the inauguration of the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, boasting over two hundred beds.

On this day which marks the 70th anniversary of the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, during this year which marks the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, we will join with the faithful to celebrate this wonderful milestone and later have the oppotunity to venerate the Mantle of St. Francis of Assisi which has been brought to San Giovanni Rotondo for a short period during this Franciscan Jubilee Year.

This afternoon we will walk in the footsteps of Padre Pio during his years in San Giovanni Rotondo as we visit the ancient church where the humble friar celebrated Mass and heard confessions, the capuchin friary where Padre Pio lived and died and where carefully preserved is the crucifix before which he received the stigmata. In the English Office, established by Fr. Alessio Parente, we will receive a blessing with the glove and crucifix used by the humble friar before concluding our day at the crypt where we will have time for private prayer before the remains of the great saint of our time.


DAY 3 - Wednesday, 6th May Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel

Padre Pio was a follower of St. Francis and by joining the Capuchin Order chose to follow the Rule of the Poor Man of Assisi. During this year which marks the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, as we visit the Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel, we will be following in the footsteps of these two great saints who both travelled on pilgrimage to the once remote shrine. As we drive to the town of Monte Sant Angelo we will hear of the apparitions of the Archangel Michael in the Gargano and celebrate Mass in the sacred cave. Before returning to San Giovanni Rotondo, we will visit the cemetery and the chapel where the remains of Padre Pio's parents are entombed.

Winding along the slopes of Monte Castellana, blessed by Padre Pio, is the monumental Way of the Cross. This afternoon we will walk the Way of the Cross which allows us as Christians to pause and enter reflectively into those last moments of Jesus's journey of love. The remainder of the afternoon at leisure will give us the opportunity to return to the crypt of St. Pio for private prayer.


DAY 4 - Thursday, 7th May Return home

After breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and drive to Naples airport, concluding our pilgrimage, having walked in the footsteps of one of the great saints of our time.