They say that when Padre Pio prayed for someone, that prayer automatically became a powerful one, to which thousands of miracles were attributed, resulting in positive outcomes. Now, it is the faithful devotees who offer prayers to him, with the most effective being the recitation of a Novena to Padre Pio.
Novena to Padre Pio
Saint Pio of Pietrelcina , better known as Padre Pio , was a distinguished servant of God who always put his religion first in his life. He was devoted to prayer, knowing it was one of the most effective weapons to combat countless problems in communities throughout the world. You can also see the article on the Novena to Saint Expeditus.
These attitudes earned the humble priest a name for himself in all regions of the world, especially among the followers of Christianity. Day by day, people were added who approached him with the intention of asking him to pray for them.
Father Pio was aware of the power of prayer and saw it as the most direct channel of communication with God . The intentions of his petitions were sometimes personal and sometimes general; many even had a miraculous character, seeking the well-being of all. To all of them, God always responded positively.
But without a doubt, the prayer the priest considered most important was the recitation of novenas, which he gladly offered for someone in need. His favorite was the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Through this novena, one calls upon the Heart of Jesus to manifest itself and invites Him to have mercy on all people.
Likewise, this important prayer is to intercede with the Messiah so that He may attentively hear all our petitions. This devotion served as an example and model for the novena to Padre Pio , since he was a devout Christian, loving both the Father and the Son.
The novena focuses on the importance of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on how full of compassion and love it is, appealing to these virtues so that favors may be granted, according to His venerable will. Father Pio prayed this prayer with sincere devotion, the same devotion with which his followers now pray the novena to Father Pio.
It's important to remember that this isn't about magic, but about having faith so that our requests will be granted, because God , as a good and providing Father, knows each of our needs. However, it should be remembered that any request will be considered, as long as it's not intended to harm others; therefore, our desires must be pure.
Opening Prayer
The following prayer is taken as the initial one because it was the one the religious man prayed every day, being devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. For this reason, it is used in rosaries as the prayer to begin the recitation, before starting the novena. Here it is:
I
Oh Most Beloved Jesus!, that in your holy word you said to ask and everything would be granted to them, to seek to find, and to knock so that all the doors would open; Well, I ask, I seek and I call fully trusting in your word and being able to be worthy of your grace.
Note: This prayer closes with an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be, ending with the phrase: "Sacred Heart of Jesus, I hope and trust."
II
Oh Venerable Jesus! You indicated that heavens and earths will pass away, but your holy word will never do so. I have true confidence that your word will be fulfilled and that is why I ask for your grace.
Note: This prayer closes with an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be, ending with the phrase: "Sacred Heart of Jesus, I hope and trust."
III
Oh kind Jesus! You expressed that everything that was asked of God the Father in your name would be granted, so I ask the Almighty in your name to fill me with your grace.
Note: This prayer closes with an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be, ending with the phrase: "Sacred Heart of Jesus, I hope and trust."
Final prayer
Oh Most Beloved Jesus!, that in your holy word you said to ask and everything would be granted to them, to seek to find, and to knock so that all the doors would open; Well, I ask, I seek and I call fully trusting in your word and being able to be worthy of your grace.
Note: You must pray a prayer of the Our Father, a prayer with the Hail Mary and at the end you recite a Glory Be, ending with the phrase: “Sacred Heart of the Messiah, I remain and have faith in you”.
Oh kind Jesus! You expressed that everything that was asked of God the Father in your name would be granted, so I ask the Almighty in your name to fill me with your grace.
Note: You must pray a prayer of the Our Father, a prayer with the Hail Mary and at the end you recite a Glory Be, ending with the phrase: “Sacred Heart of the Messiah, I remain and have faith in you”.
Oh Venerable Jesus! You indicated that heavens and earths will pass away, but your holy word will never do so. I have true confidence that your word will be fulfilled and that is why I ask for your grace.
Note: You must pray a prayer of the Our Father, a prayer with the Hail Mary and at the end you recite a Glory Be, ending with the phrase: “Sacred Heart of the Messiah, I remain and have faith in you”.
Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus! Have compassion and pity on those who are unfortunate and unhappy, who come before you showing themselves to be humble even though they are sinners. In the name of your holy Mother, of your father Saint Joseph, protector of your sacred heart, we ask you to grant us thanks and pray for us, Amen!
First day
On the first day of the novena to Padre Pio, the faithful could pray the following prayer, either individually or collectively, with the sole requirement that it be done with great faith. This prayer highlights the similarities between Padre Pio and our Lord Jesus Christ in many ways. Here it is:
Saint Pius, venerable Father, who on your body bore the marks of Jesus himself; you who also like him, carried the weight of the Cross on our behalf, who suffered physical and emotional martyrdom that not only whipped your body, but also in the depths of your soul and spirit.
We implore you to intercede before the Father to help us accept both the small and the great Crosses that life presents us along the way. Transform our sufferings into a means that we must go through to obtain Eternal life.
Help us to bear the suffering that Jesus sends us. Let us welcome the call of Jesus that comforts us because he does not want to see us suffer, encouraging our spirit again.
Note: The Novena to Padre Pio includes the prayer that the religious man dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is, the final prayer.
Second day
On the second day of prayers within the Novena to Padre Pio , devotees and followers of this holy religious offered the following prayer, which reflects the level of dedication and service this priest showed to our Lord Jesus Christ and to God the Father. Here it is:
Beloved Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, you are so close to the son of God, and that has served you to avoid the temptations of the wicked, maintaining your holiness despite the blows you received from demons to force you to renounce your beliefs.
Pray Holy Father for us, and intercede before the Almighty, so that with his help our spiritual strength may also remain firm and we may be able to renounce sin until the day the Lord calls us to meet him.
You who asked us not to feel fear of Satan's wrath, since when it manifests itself around us it is a sign that he has not been able to penetrate us with his evil.
Note: The Novena to Padre Pio includes the prayer that the religious man dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is, the final prayer.
Third day
Following the systematic program of prayer, the prayer to be recited on the third day of the novena to Padre Pio revealed the qualities of the priest that drew the attention not only of the Father and the Son, but also of the Blessed Virgin Mary . The prayer was as follows:
Great Saint, generous Father and full of virtues, faithful servant of our Mother, the beautiful and always Virgin Mary. You, who in correspondence to that delivery, was granted the grace of his consolation. We beg you to intercede before her on behalf of us sinners.
Place in her delicate hands, all our sins along with our prayers and other prayers, to receive her sweet comfort and we can see our names reflected in the Book of Life.
You who asked us to take the holy Mother, as the star that shines on us and indicates the safe path to the encounter with the Heavenly Father. Rest assured that we will do so, because we want to live in Grace for all eternity.
Note: The Novena to Padre Pio includes the prayer that the religious man dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is, the final prayer.
Fourth day
On the fourth day of the Novena to Padre Pio, the faithful should pray the following prayer, which invites us to trust in our guardian angel, who, along with him and all the other saints, will protect us from all danger. You can also find the article titled " Novena to Saint Joseph" on this blog.
Saint Pio, Padre Chaste, who showed your infinite love for Guardian Angel and who in the same way taught us to love him, so that like you, he would also be our defender and guide, as well as a faithful company.
We ask you to take our prayers and requests to the angels, so that they, together with you, will be mediators before God. Make the miracle that we can also converse with our Guardian Angel, so that with his divine and heavenly light, he warns us of dangers and prevents us from falling into sin again.
Teach us how to ask our Angel to show us the best way to travel the path of good and to make us desist from doing evil. Beloved Father, you asked us to invoke our Guardian Angel, so that he will always guide and enlighten us.
Note: The Novena to Padre Pio includes the prayer that the religious man dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is, the final prayer.
Fifth day
Continuing with the holy rosary, on the fifth day of the novena to Padre Pio , participants should say the following prayer, so that through it, the priest may intercede before God and all requests may be fulfilled.
Saint Pio, Prudent Father, who showed us your love and compassion towards the souls that suffer in purgatory. You who even offered yours, to purify their sins. We ask that you also sow that same love in our hearts and that we may help them, just as you did.
We therefore hope that their times in exile will be less and that their afflictions will be reduced. We offer you in return, Lord, sacrifices and prayer, so that you grant them understanding, eternal rest to their souls, ceasing their suffering.
Beloved Father, you asked Our Lord so that all the punishments of the sinners and the souls that suffer in purgatory, were paid by you, as well as their prompt release from the torment suffered in purgatory.
Note: The Novena to Padre Pio includes the prayer that the religious man dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is, the final prayer.
Sixth day
On the sixth day, the prayer for the novena to Padre Pio reminds us that this priest dedicated himself to caring for the sick and the most vulnerable and unprotected, those who live or feel abandoned. The prayer is as follows:
Saint Pius, obedient Father, you who saw the face of Jesus in the sick and for this reason have loved them so much, even more than yourself, that you have performed miracles of healing in them, working in the name of the Father.
You who have freed not only their bodies from all illness but also their souls, minds and spirits, who have given them hope for a better quality of life and renewal. Pray to God and to the Most Holy Mary, so that she puts her hand in and the sick find more than healing, eternal spiritual benefits.
Padre Pio that you asked us to beg God to keep the sick free from their ills, and that you were even able to offer yourself for them to suffer their sufferings and save them.
Note: The Novena to Padre Pio includes the prayer that the religious man dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is, the final prayer.
Seventh day
On the seventh day of prayer, the faithful should pray the following prayer, which is part of the novena to Padre Pio, remembering that the holy Father offered to the Almighty to pay for the sins of sinners, emulating the example of his beloved Jesus.
Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, blessed Father, that you are a participant in God's purpose of salvation, that you have offered yourself in the name of sinners to pay their guilt in exchange for freeing them from the chains that bind them to Lucifer.
We ask you to pray to the Almighty, so that non-believers begin to feel true faith. That in the depths of their hearts they can feel repentance, so that their lives improve, taking the best path, that of salvation.
Oh holy Father!, that you left us the message of how beautiful is the soul free of sins, and that only that would be enough for everyone who does not believe, to become a faithful believer.
Note: The Novena to Padre Pio includes the prayer that the religious man dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is, the final prayer.
Eighth day
In the prayer included within the novena to Padre Pio, corresponding to the eighth day, devout participants should recite a prayer that reveals the infinite love that Padre Pio showed for his neighbor, even considering them as his own children, thus fulfilling one of God's commandments. The prayer is as follows:
Padre Pio, holy Father and protector, who has shown infinite love for those whom you baptized as your children in holiness. Also consider us as your children, to be able to protect ourselves in your paternal protection.
Serve as mediator between the Lord and us, and with your holy guidance, give us the necessary strength to reach the heavenly Kingdom and meet you. That is all we ask of you, beloved saint.
You who told us that the best grace we can get from the Father is that he allows us to be with him in the kingdom of heaven, so we will fulfill you to meet again together and happily ever after.
Note: The Novena to Padre Pio includes the prayer that the religious man dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is, the final prayer.
Ninth and last day
As this cycle of prayers draws to a close, on the last day of the novena to Padre Pio , his faithful followers pray the following prayer, dedicated to highlighting the invaluable role of the Church as the institution responsible for preserving the Christian faith among people throughout the world, fulfilling what God the Father has established for us all. Here it is:
Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, humble Father, who feels a great love for the church, intercedes before the Lord so that he sends more of his servants the priests, and that they come instructed and inspired by him so that they render a good service to the faithful.
We also ask you to conciliate before the Blessed Virgin Mary, so that she may serve as a guide for these servants of God, within the unity of Christianity, and that they converge in the great house of the Father.
Help us Holy Mother, so that the Church acts as the beacon of light necessary to illuminate the murky waters of the daily suffering of life, and to be able to obtain salvation.
Oh Padre Pio, who asked us to always remain united to the Holy Catholic Church, sow within us that call to attend happily and in communion with her.
It is in the church where we can meet a Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and therefore, only she offers us salvation, because outside of her, it is not possible to have it. It is she who offers all the sacraments to lead a holy life, baptism, communion, in short, she is the one who offers you the path to eternal life.
Note: The Novena to Padre Pio includes the prayer that the religious man dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is, the final prayer.
Who was Padre Pio?
The real name of Padre Pio was Francesco Forgione , and he was originally from Italy. He was born in 1887 into a family of limited means but with great devotion and belief in the Catholic faith.
Father Pio was also known as Pio of Pietrelcina , after the Italian region where he was born. It is said that from a very young age he began to exhibit certain behaviors and tendencies that indicated his vocation. He was characterized by his piety and found joy in performing penances for God.
However, he was not in good health, which made him a very weak and frail child. It is said that his inclination towards the priesthood increased after an experience within the religious complex of Morcone, where he spent time with a Capuchin monk named Brother Camilio , whom he accompanied begging for alms, even as a very young boy.
Also since he was a child, he had some spiritual visions, which his closest family and friends branded as demonic possessions, since many times they found him "talking to himself" and even as if he were fighting against his own shadow.
Finally, his time came, and his desire to become a religious was fulfilled. He became a friar at the age of 16, guided and mentored by a priest named Tommaso . This master, though he had noble feelings and a big heart, was also strict, although he was always available to care for his students.
Among the tasks he had to fulfill was fasting for a long time, which made it difficult for him to cope with and yet, this helped him shape his character, since it was part of his formation as a religious.
Due to his natural state of health, which was already fragile and weak, his illnesses began to increase and he was never able to get better. This gave rise to a close relationship between him and other patients to whom he helped.
In 1904, she moved to another convent, after enunciating her temporary vows, moving again in 1907, after making her permanent vows. The new environment was close to the sea, a factor that worsened his already serious state of health, which made him have to return.
He lived in several convents, including the one in Benevento in 1910, and six years later, he moved to the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo . He remained there until God called him home in 1968.
At the time of his death, Father Pio had already lived for 50 years since receiving the first stigmata of Christ. The priest said that love and fear were two feelings that went hand in hand, one depending on the other, and that both were necessary "to stay on course."
their stigmata
Father Pio suffered from five stigmata that appeared on his body throughout his life, the same wounds suffered by our Lord Jesus Christ when he was crucified. What is remarkable about his case is that these wounds bled for 50 years. Despite this curious fact, and the delicate nature of his health, he never developed anemia.
Around that time, rumors began to circulate that Padre Pio could be in two places at once. It was also said that he had the ability to perform miracles and even the power of clairvoyance. These marks began to appear in 1915.
The first symptom he felt was a strong pain in his feet, which was later replicated with the same intensity in his hands, and continued to manifest on the right side of his chest. There was no medical-scientific explanation for the suffering of this damage. The discomfort lasted for three years, which then triggered a pain of such intensity that it made him fall to the ground to the point of death.
It was at that moment that he began to bleed and the appearance of the first stigmata was revealed to him, exactly in the place of his ailments. Several doctors and specialists analyzed his case, but they did not find the causes that originated what was happening to the religious.
His case even caught the attention of the authorities, who ordered a photographic record to document the curious and mystical fact. In addition to recording the appearance of the stigmata, the images presented a pale, sad and very sore Padre Pio, all covered in blood.
Some time later, the priest was allowed to return to his monastery. He continued to suffer as a result of the stigmata, which bled so much that it even produced severe hemorrhages, but to the astonishment of everyone and even himself, they did not harm his health.
His fame as a saint began to spread throughout the country, which caused the interest of thousands of people to meet him, coming from various parts of the world to meet him and for him to confess or simply pray on their behalf. There are those who said that he had the power to know what his sins were, before they counted them.
The explanation
After the death of Padre Pio, the Catholic Church wanted to provide the faithful with an explanation of the phenomena that occurred to the priest, synthesizing such explanation in 3 possible reasons. The first of these was attributed to a possible "diabolical intervention", suggesting that the Father could have been possessed by the forces of evil.
The second cause was described as a "divine intervention", since the religious was very devout and always stood firm to his Christian principles and values, always placing the parishioners and the church first.
The third and final reason is attributed to a possible unconscious suggestion. Then, in 2002, he was canonized by Pope John Paul II . Padre Pio performed many miracles, both during his life and after his death, which earned him a large following of faithful believers.
They assure that his most outstanding gifts were: discernment, since he was able to read the mind and the conscience; in addition to a miraculous healing power; being able to be in two places at the same time; cry with feeling when praying the Rosary; the holy-smelling perfume she distilled.
And of course, the stigmata, which accompanied him for 50 years, couldn't be missing from that list. Finally, if you enjoyed this article about the novena to Padre Pio, you can check out other prayers and novenas on our blog, such as the Novena to the Divine Child Jesus to ask for a favor.