Tour of Padre Pio’s Relics to Begin in Archdiocese

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Relics of St. Pio of Pietrelcina—better known as Padre Pio—will visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral and St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, during a three-week tour of archdioceses and dioceses in 10 states.

At St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Cardinal Dolan will celebrate the Mass officially welcoming the relics at 10:15 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. Providing music will be the Sistine Chapel Choir; seating will be limited.

Other Masses in honor of Padre Pio will be offered at 7 a.m., 8 a.m., 8:45 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 4 p.m. (Spanish) and 5:30 p.m.

Veneration with the official relics will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

On Monday, Sept. 18, Msgr. Robert Ritchie, cathedral rector, will celebrate the official closing Mass at 5:30 p.m.

Other Masses will be offered at 7 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 8 a.m., noon, 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. Veneration of relics is again from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A concert by the Sistine Chapel Choir at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, will precede a welcome reception for the relics at the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Parish House at 8:30 p.m. Information: http://www.saintpatrickscathedral.org/padrepio

Public veneration in the chapel at St. Joseph’s Seminary, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, will be the first stop on the tour.

Father William Cleary, dean of seminarians, is coordinating seminarians and assigning them tasks in connection with the relics’ visit.

St. Pio was born on May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy. He entered the Capuchin Franciscan order at age 15. He was ordained a priest in 1910 at age 23. During his lifetime, Padre Pio was known as a mystic with gifts of healing and knowledge. He bore the stigmata, which correspond to the crucifixion wounds of Christ.

Padre Pio, who died in 1968, was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002. His feast day is Sept. 23.

The relics of St. Pio available for public veneration include his glove, a lock of his hair, his mantle (cloak), a handerchief used shortly before his death, as well as two others.

The Saint Pio Foundation is sponsoring the tour on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of Padre Pio’s  birth and the 15th anniversary of his canonization.

Information: http://www.saintpiofoundation.org/event/saint-padre-pio-comes-to-america-2/