Padre Pio Relics Tour

The Saint Pio Foundation and the Padre Pio Shrine signed a joint declaration that allows the two New York based organizations to collaborate on behalf of the saint. The declaration acknowledges the Padre Pio Shrine as the Saint Pio Foundation’s spiritual center, and pledges the foundation’s support for the maintenance of the shrine. In turn, the Padre Pio Shrine pledged its spiritual support and makes its relics available to the Saint Pio Foundation in order to allow them to carry their mission to raise awareness of Saint Pio and promoting his teachings. Present at the signing, that took place in the office of the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of New York were (pictured from left) the Rev. Francis Gasparik, OFM Cap., pastor of St. John the Baptist Church (where the shrine is located;) Monsignor Joseph LaMorte, vicar general of the Archdiocese of New York; and Luciano Lamonarca, president of the Saint Pio Foundation.

To continue our work, the Saint Pio Foundation continues to sponsor additional tours of the relics of Padre Pio in (Arch)dioceses and Parishes across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The majority of those attending the tour of the relics of Padre Pio would never be able to travel to San Giovanni Rotondo or Pietrelcina to visit the places where our Saint was born, lived, and died. For that reason, we sponsor a tour of the relics each year to give hundreds of thousands of the faithful an opportunity to have a “spiritual encounter” with Padre Pio, to pray to him, and to ask for his intercession.

On February 2016, during the Holy Year of Mercy, the body of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina was exhibited in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome in accordance with Pope Francis' wishes. Following Pope Francis’ example and in honor of the 130th anniversary of Padre Pio’s birth and the 15th anniversary of his canonization, the Saint Pio Foundation organized the first official tour of the relics of Padre Pio in 2017. The tour visited eighteen archdioceses and dioceses in the United States.

How to request the relics of Padre Pio for public veneration

An inquiry to host the authentic relics of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina begins with a formal written request. The written request, submitted via letter or email to info@saintpiofoundation.org, must come from the (Arch)Bishop of the (Arch)Diocese, or the Pastor of the Parish of the Roman Catholic Church. After receiving a request, a representative from the Saint Pio Foundation will contact the office of the (Arch)Bishop or the Pastor providing the requirements and guidelines.