Relics belonging to St. Pio of Pietreclina — better known as Padre Pio — will be coming to the United States, one for the first time, this October.
"The relics that will be arriving with the friars from Padre Pio’s friary in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, include one of Padre Pio’s vestments and a glove that he wore to cover his stigmata," Julie Fitts Ritter, executive director of the Padre Pio Foundation of America, told Aleteia.
This is the first time Padre Pio's robe has left Italy. The relics are accompanied by the Capuchin friars from San Giovanni Rotondo.
For Ritter, "the gloves of Padre Pio are symbolic of his suffering and his connection to the Passion of Christ."
Those who come to venerate the relics will have the chance to be blessed with the glove, said Ritter, something that is "often a powerful experience for the faithful."
What is a relic?
Items such as a robe, gloves, or other item belonging to a saint are referred to as "second-class relics," Ritter explained. A first-class relic is a part of the saint's body, and a third-class relic is something that was touched to either a first- or second-class relic.
Catholics venerate, not worship, relics, reminded Ritter.
"They are important because they are a physical and tangible connection to the saints and the holy lives they have lived. I believe they inspire faith and can bring a deeper spiritual relationship with the saint and ultimately Jesus," she said.
Venerating a relic, she said, "is a way to bring people together."
And if someone is nervous about seeing the relics, I would just let them know this is a beautiful experience and being near by these relics will bring them peace.
"Relics, in general, are often associated with miracles and conversions and in Padre Pio’s case, he is certainly known for both," said Ritter.
Padre Pio, Ritter told Aleteia, is often considered to be "a saint of our times" as he died in 1968.
She continued, "There are many people still alive who knew him. In my years of meeting devotees of Padre Pio, I understand that he is like a tradition in many families. Stories about Padre Pio are passed down and we often hear from people who tell us how they grew up with Padre Pio because their grandmother or grandfather always had a picture of him in their home."
The relics will make stops in Connecticut and Pennsylvania from October 11 through the 18th.
