Padre Pio

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors’ Catholic Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of the Church’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

Francesco Forgione might be a name lost to history, but over the course of his life, he became one of Catholicism’s most well known figures during the 20th century as Padre Pio. It was a remarkable path for a man who was legendarily afflicted by a series of illnesses and most famously bore the stigmata, very noticeably bearing what appeared to be the crucifixion wounds Jesus’s hands suffered. Padre Pio was also known for his eccentricities, including unique forms of deep meditation and experiencing visions.

Not surprisingly, despite all the spiritual work Padre Pio did, he was the subject of substantial controversy during his own life. And though he has been venerated as Saint Pio of Pietrelcina by the Catholic Church, critics have all but called him a fraud. Catholic Legends: The Life and Legacy of Padre Pio details the remarkable life Padre Pio lived while covering the controversies that continue to resonate today. Along with pictures of Pio and other important people, places and events in his life, you will learn about Padre Pio like you never have before, in no time at all.