Third Annual Saint Padre Pio Procession in North End

On Sunday, June 23, 2013, devotees of Saint Padre Pio held an Italian Mass and car­ried his statue from Saint Leonard Church throughout the streets of Boston’s North End. Accompanied by the North End Marching Band, this is the third year for the procession of Saint Pio, a relatively new saint can­onized by Pope John Paul II in 2002.

Pius of Pietrelcina (1887-1968) was a Capuchin Catholic priest from Italy, born as Francesco Forgione and given the name Pius (Italian: Pio) when he joined the Capuchins, thus known popularly as Padre Pio.

He became famous for bear­ing the stigmata.