Padre Pio (St. Pio of Pietrelcina) is buried in the crypt of the Church of St. Pio of Pietrelcina in San Giovanni Rotondo, Puglia, the large church designed by Renzo Piano and consecrated on July 1, 2004. His body lies in a glass case in the crypt chapel, decorated with mosaics by Marko Rupnik, and has been on permanent display there since June 1, 2013. A silicone mask covers the face.
From his death on September 23, 1968, until 2008 the saint rested in the crypt of the adjacent church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (1959); a public exposition in 2008 and 2009 preceded the transfer. The church seats about 6,500 inside and about 30,000 in the churchyard.
It is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and the crypt is step-free. Masses in the Church of St. Pio are at 7:30 a.m. (lower church), 10:00 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. daily, with further Masses in Santa Maria delle Grazie. Check the shrine's current schedule.
Related questions, answered
Is there an admission fee to visit Padre Pio's shrine?
No, there is no admission fee at the Shrine of St. Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo: the Church of St. Pio, the crypt with his body, the old church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, his cell, the confessional, and the friary museum route are all free. Donations are welcomed at offering boxes and at the shrine's candle service, and devotional items are sold in the shrine shops. Parking in the large lots below the sanctuary is charged. Groups that request a reserved Mass or an accompanied visit through the Pilgrimage Office customarily leave an offering, but no set price is charged.
Source: Shrine of St. Pio of Pietrelcina
Can I see Padre Pio's body during an ordinary shrine visit?
Yes, the body of St. Pio has been on permanent display in a glass case in the crypt of the Church of St. Pio of Pietrelcina since June 1, 2013, and any visitor can see it during normal opening, about 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily according to the shrine's visitor timetable, with evening rosary access in summer. No ticket or reservation is needed, and the crypt, reached by ramps from the upper church, is step-free. The face is covered by a silicone mask, and the hands are gloved. Visitors file past in silence; photography is not allowed at the case.
Source: Shrine of St. Pio of Pietrelcina
