Ancient Church

Built in the mid of 1500 was dedicated to Santa Maria delle Grazie in 1600. On the door are painted a Madonna and Child, San Francisco and San Michele Arcangelo. Two commemorative plaques, placed by the city of San Giovanni Rotondo, remember August 10^th , 1910 (the ordination of St. Pius) and the year 1916 (the arrival of the friar in San Giovanni Rotondo). When Padre Pio arrived in the Gargano village around the church there was nothing. Some photos of that, in fact, show that the area was completely isolated from everything else. Inside, you immediately notice the altar of St. Francis, that Padre Pio used for celebrations, the crucifix before which he received the stigmata – located on the top floor – and in the confessional where he spent whole days to listen and comfort to all its faithful.