Chronological Data
1887 (25 May) Padre Pio (Francesco Forgione) was born in Pietrelcina (Benevento) to Grazio Forgione and Maria Giuseppa (Peppa) Di Nunzio.
(26 May) Little Francesco was baptised in the church of Sant'Anna.
1903 (6 January) Young Forgione enters the novitiate of the Capuchins in Morcone
(22 January) He conned the habit of the Capuchin order and took the name of Brother Pio.
1907 (27 January) Brother Pio took his final vows.
1910 (10 August) Brother Pio was ordained a priest in the cathedral of Benevento.
(14 August) Padre Pio said his first Mass in Pietrelcina.
- Padre Pio suffered from pains in his hands and feet. On 8 September 1911 he revealed to his Spiritual Adviser, Padre Benedetto from SAN Marco in Lamis, that he had had "invisible stigmata for about a year".
1915 (10 October) He told his Superior that he had been suffering the pain inflicted by flagellations and the crowning of thorns for years now.
1916 (17 February) He was appointed to the monastery of Sant'Anna in Foggia.
(28 July) During a period of suffocating heat, he was taken to the monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo and stayed there one week.
(4 September) He returned to San Giovanni Rotondo for some time.
(18 December) He went to Naples on national service, but his poor physical conditions made the doctors send him home on special leave.
1917 (12 November) He returned to the monastery of SAN Giovanni Rotondo, where he stayed until 5 March 1918, the year when he resumed national service in Naples.
1918 (16 March) Padre Pio returned to the monastery of SAN Giovanni Rotondo for good.
(5 August) Through the work of a mysterious celestial being, Padre Pio's heart was pierced by a spear, leaving him with a wound that was to bleed for the rest of his life. This phenomenon is known as “transverberation”.
(20 September) Following the appearance of the mysterious person dripping with blood in the chapel, he found that he himself now had wounds on his hands, ribcage and feet. From then on, Padre Pio's body was marked with stigmata, the visible signs of the Passion of Christ.
1919 News of the stigmata spread throughout Italy, and thousands of pilgrims, attracted by this charismatic figure, began to make their way to the Gargano.
(15 May) Padre Pio's stigmata were first examined by a doctor, Professor Luigi Romanelli, consultant at the hospital of Barletta.
(26 July) Padre Pio was examined by Professor Amico Bignami, head of the medical pathology department of the University of Rome.
(9 October) At the request of the General of the Capuchins, Padre Venanzio from Lisle-en-Rigault, Padre Pio underwent in-depth medical examinations conducted by Dr Giorgio Festa.
1923 (17 June) Padre Pio was debarred from saying Mass in public or replying to any of the letters arriving at the monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo.
(25 June) A popular revolt broke out on the afternoon of the day when Padre Pio first said Mass in a private chapel.
(26 June) Padre Pio resumed saying Masses in the church.
(8 August) Padre Pio was ordered to move to Ancona.
(17 August) Worried by the restlessness of the crowds, the ecclesiastical authorities suspended this order.
1925 (22 April) Resenting the restrictions placed on Padre Pio's confessional duties, the faithful throughout the country were again in a state of turmoil.
1933 (16 July) Padre Pio resumed saying Masses in public following a two-year suspension.
1940 (9 January) Work was started on Padre Pio's "Grand Earthly Undertaking", namely the building of his "House for the Relief of Suffering ".
1956 (5 May) The House for the Relief of Suffering was officially opened.
1968 (22 September) Padre Pio said Mass at 5 a.m. as usual. This was to be his last celebration of the Eucharist.
(23 September) Padre Pio died at 02.30, his last words being "Jesus, Mary! Jesus, Mary!"
(26 September) Over a hundred thousand people attended his funeral.
(27 September) The crypt containing Padre Pio's body was opened to the public and was visited by droves of pilgrims over the years.
1983 (20 March) The official enquiry into Padre Pio's case was opened in San Giovanni Rotondo.
1987 (23 May) The Holy Father, John Paul II, made a pilgrimage to San Giovanni Rotondo and prayed at Padre Pio's tomb.
1990 (21 January) The beatification process was completed.
1997 (April) Padre Pio was declared Venerable.
1999 (2 May) Padre Pio of Pietrelcina was officially beatified by John Paul II.
2002 (16 June) Padre Pio of Pietrelcina was officially canonized by John Paul II.
2004 (1 July) The new Sanctuary of St Pio of Pietrelcina was consecrated in San Giovanni Rotondo.
