A Look at the 2019 Pilgrimage to the National Centre for Padre Pio in Barto, Pennsylvania

The Our Lady of Grace Chapel and iconic arches
Photos by New York Scugnizzo

Saturday, September 21, on the occasion of the Feast of San Matteo, I had the privilege of joining my dear friends of the Associazione Culturale Pugliese Figli Maria SS. Addolorata and Gruppo Italiano Sant'Atanasio (G.I.S.A.) on their pilgrimage to the National Centre for Padre Pio in Barto, Pennsylvania from St. Athanasius Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

It was a picture-perfect day to visit the Centre 

Bronze statues of Padre Pio with children and Padre
Raffaele di Sant'Elia a Pianisi greet visitors on their Arrival

In addition to the chapel and spiritual sites, the Centre boasts
an impressive museum, cultural center, gift shop, and café 

There was also an outdoor food court and picnic area

With plenty of time to kill before Mass, our group
found a shady tent outside the gift shop to have lunch

(Above & below) We enjoyed some delicious homemade
focaccia Barese and torta di carciofi alla Calabrese 

Because it was the Saturday Ember Day of Autumn, I had just a sliver of each

(L) A view from the arches built to resemble the friary in
San Giovanni Rontondo, Foggia. (R) A peek into the courtyard 

Votive candles line the walls of the courtyard

An outdoor shrine to Sant'Antonio di Padova

Sant'Antonio and the Madonna del Romitello

The outdoor shrine to the Madonna del Romitello 

(Above & below) The Centre is home to Maria Ss. del Soccorso di Castelfranci, Avellino and San Michele Arcangelo, protettore di Sturno, Avellino

Our Lady and San Michele vanquishing the devil 

Glorious San Michele 

Smiting Satan 

Above the main altar in the Madonna della Grazie chapel are paintings
of Saint John the Baptist, Our Lady of Grace, and St. Paul the Apostle

In the sanctuary are statues of St. Elizabeth of Portugal
and (I believe) St. Louis IX, King of France 

On the first side altar on the right is St. Francis of Assisi with relic

Below him lies Santa Massimiana, virgin, martyr
and patroness of San Giovanni Rotondo 

(L) The second side altar on the right is dedicated to St. Felix Cantilice.
(R) The actual confessional used by Padre Pio to hear
the confessions of women in San Giovanni 

A glove relic is on display inside the confessional 

A copy of Luca Giordano's The Patron Saints of Naples
Adoring Christ on the Cross hangs above the confessional

Statues of the Madonna della Libera and Madonna di Fatima in the Museum