The Municipality of Pietrelcina, hometown of Padre Pio, has a new statue of its patron saint. The breathtaking artwork is remarkable in its own right, but even more so is the dedication it bears. The installation marks the first time an Italian town has dedicated a plaza to “the people of the United States of America.” 

The Pio Foundation reports that the statue was commissioned specifically to pay tribute to the role of the U.S. in the life of St. Pio Pietrelcina. The statue was installed on September 23, 2021, on the 53rd anniversary of Padre Pio’s death. The site is expected to be a popular destination in 2022, when Pietrelcina celebrates the 20th anniversary of Padre Pio’s canonization by Pope St. John Paul II.