All prayer groups in Gozo and devotees of Padre Pio are invited to attend a special prayer session at the sanctuary of Our Lady of Graces in Victoria on Thursday, May 26, to celebrate the 135th anniversary of the birth of the saint.

The meeting will begin with the recitation of the rosary and adoration of the Holy Eucharist at 6.15pm, followed by a solemn concelebrated Mass led by the Capuchin Friars missions secretary Fr Philip Cutajar OFM Cap. Fr Cutajar will be assisted by Fr Guardian Alfred Scerri, spiritual directors and the sanctuary friars.

A donation will be presented to Fr Cutajar to help Capuchin seminarians in Kenya.

Mario Caruana will animate the celebration. Padre Pio, also known as Saint Pius of Pietrelcina was an Italian Franciscan Capuchin, stigmatist and mystic.

Born Francesco Forgione, he was given the name of Pio when he joined the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.

Padre Pio became famous for exhibiting stigmata for most of his life. He was both beatified in 1999 and canonised in 2002 by Pope John Paul II.

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