MANILA, Philippines – The incorrupt heart relic of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina will be brought to Manila, Batangas, Cebu, and Davao for 21 days in October, the Catholic Church announced.

The incorrupt heart of Padre Pio will stay in the Philippines from the evening of October 5 until October 26. 

“This will also be a ‘time of grace’ for the Filipinos, especially the devotees of Padre Pio, who are now walloping in near hopelessness during these uncertain times of our nation’s history,” said Father Joselin Gonda, rector of the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio in Santo Tomas, Batangas.

By displaying Padre Pio’s heart relic, the Catholic Church said it aims to highlight the saint’s virtues, inspire Catholics, and aid them in praying to God.

Born on May 25, 1887, Padre Pio is one of the most popular saints in the Catholic Church. In life, he carried the stigmata, the wounds of Christ that miraculously appeared on the saint’s body. He is also remembered for having performed bilocation, or appearing in different places at one time. 

He died on September 23, 1968, and devotion to the saint is now believed to have caused many miracles. The Catholic Church proclaimed him a saint on June 16, 2002. 

Padre Pio’s incorrupt body is on display at San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy.

Meanwhile, the relic of Padre Pio’s incorrupt heart has been brought to 3 countries so far – the United States for 10 days, Paraguay for 8 days, and Argentina for 5 days.

The Philippines is the 4th country that the heart relic will visit, and it will be in the country the longest – 21 days.

Significance

Gonda said the visit of the heart relic is especially significant because 2018 marks two milestones in Padre Pio’s life. September 20 this year is the centennial of Padre Pio’s receiving of the stigmata, and September 23 is Padre Pio’s 50th death anniversary.

Other saintly relics have been displayed in the Philippines in the past, such as the blood relic of Saint John Paul II and the pilgrim relics of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus.

In an interview with the Catholic News Agency, Father Carlos Martins, a priest who handles relics, explained the spiritual significance of religious artifacts like these.

Martins said: “I think that Saint Jerome put it best when he said: ‘We do not worship relics, we do not adore them, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the creator. But we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore him whose martyrs they are.’ We venerate relics only for the sake of worshipping God.”

Below is the schedule of the visit of Padre Pio’s heart relic in October, according to the official newsletter of the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio:

October 5
Arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (evening)
– Motorcade to the shrine
– Welcome liturgy and Holy Mass

October 6-7
National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio, Santo Tomas, Batangas
– Concelebrated Mass at 9 am
– Veneration and Confession 

October 8-10
Manila Cathedral 

October 11-13
Cebu Cathedral

October 14-16
Davao Cathedral 

October 17
Lipa Cathedral 

October 18-26
National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio
– Concelebrated Mass at 9 am (daily)
– Veneration and Confession 

October 26
– Concelebrated Mass at 9 am
– Farewell liturgy
– Departure and motorcade to NAIA  

– Rappler.com