Incorrupt Body of Padre Pio

The body of Padre Pio is displayed in a glass reliquary inside the Church of Saint Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. This town is located in the southern region of Apulia and was his home for much of his life. The modern church, designed by architect Renzo Piano, houses millions of visiting pilgrims each year.

When Padre Pio's body was exhumed in 2008, nearly 40 years after his death in 1968, church officials reported that the remains were found to be remarkably well-preserved, or incorrupt. However, for public veneration, a wax mask was created using a cast of his face to provide a lifelike appearance. This is a standard practice for the display of many Catholic relics.

Padre Pio was a 20th-century Capuchin friar famous for being the first priest in history to bear the stigmata—the physical wounds of Jesus Christ. He experienced these wounds for 50 years, and he was also known for his reported abilities to bilocate and read souls. He was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002.

Yes, the crypt where Padre Pio was originally buried, and where his remains are now displayed, is open to the public. The sanctuary in San Giovanni Rotondo is one of the most popular Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world. Visitors can attend mass and view the reliquary year-round.