Saint Pio a Franciscan spiritual son

Much is told about Padre Pio's dedication to the confessional work, his service, his well known celebration at the altar, and yet little is said about his religious life and his adscription to the Franciscan family.

This Franciscan charisma induced him to a religious life, and to follow the evangelical councils, entrusted by Saint Francis, to all his descendants. It is also important to consider St Pio as a beloved and faithful son of Saint Francis.

The Franciscan vocation of Father Pio was drawn from before his birth, when his mother, who was a Franciscan tertiary, entrusted him during his pregnancy to the great Saint of Assisi. At that time it was a widespread custom in Italy that a young mother, who wanted a happy birth, entrusted herself to the protection of the Seraphic Patriarch. Therefore she wore St. Francis' medal around her neck, prayed every day to Our Father, and a Hail Mary, with a final invocation to the Saint, and she promised give her child the name of Francis.

Saint Pio was then baptized with the name of Francis, in a church dedicated to Our Lady of the Angels, which was the original name of the Porciuncula chapel, the birthplace of the Franciscan Orders.

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