Timeline Overview: Quick Facts 1887----Born May 25 in Pietrelcina, Benevento Province in the Campania region of southern Italy. 1903----Entered the Capuchin novitiate. 1907----Solemn Profession. 1910----Ordained a priest, August, in Benevento Cathedral. 1915----Called up for military service, but sent home for a year's convalescence because of illness. 1916----Assigned to the  Friary in San Giovanni Rotondo. 1917----Called again into the military, serving for two months in Naples. 1922-31----Several interventions of Holy Office deprived him of many priestly faculties. 1933----Pope Pius XI restored him to complete freedom in priestly ministry. 1947----Building began on his hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo. 1956----Hospital officially opened on May 5. 1959----New church inaugurated in San Giovanni Rotondo, July 1. 1968----Prayer Groups formally approved by Holy See, July 31. 1968----Died at 2:30  in the morning on September 23. Funeral September 26. Crypt containing his tomb opened to public September 27. 1969----Petition for opening of Cause for Beatification granted by Apostolic Administrator of Manfredonia. 1973----Archbishop of Manfredonia consigned to Holy See all documents required for formal introduction of Cause for Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, January 16. 1997----December 18, Pope John Paul II proclaims Padre Pio "Venerable." 1998----December 21, the Decree of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints is proclaimed which concerns the miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. 1999----May 2, Proclaimed "Blessed" by His Holiness, John Paul II, in Saint Peter's Square. 2002----Canonized on June 16. The above image is a composite made from a scene in the Benevento locale and an image of the Saint from which the original non-descript background was removed, then the scenic rendered the new background with a light glow of white around his likeness. E-MAIL HOME--------------------------------------------------------------SAINTS www.catholictradition.org/Padre-Pio/padre-pio1.htm