San Giovanni Rotondo

San Giovanni Rotondo is a town in the province of Foggia in the Italian region of Apulia (Puglia).

San Giovanni Rotondo is the home town of Saint Pio (Padre Pio of Pietrelcina). Although the stigmatist friar was born in Pietrelcina in the region of Campania, he made San Giovanni Rotondo his home.

One of the most visited sights in San Giovanni Rotondo is the Sanctuary of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, wich includes the Capuchins convent and the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. This building with lovely stained glass and marble archways is the final resting place of Padre Pio: visitors can view his relics in the lower area of the church.

Close to the monastery is the Padre Pio Wax Museum that contains historical information about the region as well as mosaics that depict the life of Padre Pio.

Several other places of the life of Padre Pio can be visited as well, such as the new church dedicated to Padre Pio, the Way of the Cross, Mary Pyle’s house where his parents lived or the saint’s car.

• Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. Contains the tomb with the incorrupt body of Padre Pio.
• Convent of the Friars Minor Capuchin. Convent where Padre Pio lived and died. Includes the conventual cell of the stigmatist friar and a small museum dedicated to the Saint.
• Church of Saint Mary of Graces. New church of the Capuchin Friars community of Saint Giovanni Rotondo.
• The Old Church. Old church where Padre Pio celebrated the Holy Mass and wich owns the original icon of Our Lady of Graces.
• Wax Museum of Padre Pio, Via Pirgiano, 25, +39 0882 459728. Old church where Padre Pio celebrated the Holy Mass and wich owns the original icon of Our Lady of Graces.

Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. Contains the tomb with the incorrupt body of Padre Pio.

Convent of the Friars Minor Capuchin. Convent where Padre Pio lived and died. Includes the conventual cell of the stigmatist friar and a small museum dedicated to the Saint.

Church of Saint Mary of Graces. New church of the Capuchin Friars community of Saint Giovanni Rotondo.

The Old Church. Old church where Padre Pio celebrated the Holy Mass and wich owns the original icon of Our Lady of Graces.

Wax Museum of Padre Pio, Via Pirgiano, 25, +39 0882 459728. Old church where Padre Pio celebrated the Holy Mass and wich owns the original icon of Our Lady of Graces.

For Catholics visiting San Giovanni Rotondo as a pilgrimage, there are several masses daily at the Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina.

The streets around the Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina are lined with shops that sell church-related items (rosaries, statues of Padre Pio, etc). The Sanctuary itself has a shop as well (also available online here). With several masses each day at the Basilica and at the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, there shouldn't be a problem finding a priest to bless the rosaries after you purchase them.

You can also made a subscription of The Voice of Padre Pio magazine and support the Friars Minor Capuchin work in spreading the message and spirituality of Saint Pio. After that you may receive the magazine directly in your home. It consists of 11 numbers per year with articles by some of the top Catholic Italian journalists.

• Monte Sant'Angelo – where is located the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel.
• Vatican – the Vatican City is the world center of Catholicism.
• Fátima – place of worldwide famous Marian apparitions.