Francesco Forgione was born on 25 May 1887 in Pietrelcina, a small town on the outskirts of Benevento. He was baptized the next day in the Church of Saint Anne. He was given the name Francesco desire for the mother, devoted to Saint Francis of Assisi [2].

The father Grazio Forgione Maria, born in 1860, and his mother Maria Giuseppa De Nunzio, born in 1859, were married for six years and had already had three children, two of which are already dead, the birth of Francis.

On 27 September 1899 to receive Communion and Confirmation by the archbishop of Benevento Donato Maria dell'Olio.

His father, a farmer, owned a small plot of land but had not needed to support the family, and twice he was forced to emigrate to America in search of fortune. The mother was a woman very believer and his convictions were a great influence on the spiritual brother of the future [3]. According to the testimonies of the time [4], the boy grew quiet and serene, it was good and obedient.

Francesco not attended school on a regular basis because it would be helpful in the family working the land. His first teacher was a farmer who had the fifth grade, the second a comb hemp, and both were doing their lessons in the evening. Only twelve years when he began to study with the method, under the guidance of a true teacher, the priest Don Domenico Tizzana, that in two years, made him do all the elementary program. Soon after Francis went to the school for studies ginnasiali.


The desire to become a priest appeared very early and was called by the knowledge of a friar of the convent of Morcone, including Camillo by a Pianisi Sant'Elia, who regularly went to collect bids Pietrelcina. The practices for entry into the convent were started in the spring of 1902, when Francis had 14 years, but its first application was unsuccessful. Only in the autumn of 1902 reached the agreement.

On 1 January 1903, after Communion, Francis told her that he had a vision that confirmed and clarified his call to continue the fight with malignant [5]. On the night of January 5, the last one that went with his family, said that he had another vision in which God and Mary encouraged and assured him of their preference [6]. On the morning of January 6, after listening to the mass in the parish church of Pietrelcina, accompanied by his teacher Angelo Caccavo and the priest don Nicola Caruso, Francis was received into the novitiate of the Capuchin religious province of Foggia, a Morcone (Benevento) [7 ]. On January 22 of that year, to 15 years, Francis wore the shoes of the novice probazione cappuccino and became among Pio.

Over the year of novitiate, Pius issued between the profession of simple vows (poverty, chastity and obedience) January 22 1904. Three days later he went to a Sant'Elia Pianisi to undertake studies ginnasiali. On 27 January 1907 issued the profession of solemn vows. Followed classical studies and philosophy and in November of 1908 reached Montefusco, where he continued his studies in theology. On 18 July 1909, he received the order of the diaconate, the novitiate of Morcone. He was ordained priest on 10 August 1910 in the Cathedral of Benevento, Msgr. Paul Schinosi [8].

In recent years has demonstrated the appearance on its hands of the stigmata, that characterize the rest of life. It gave notice for the first time on 8 September 1911, in a letter addressed to the spiritual father of San Marco in Lamis: here the monk talks about a phenomenon that is repeated for nearly a year, only because they won silent "always that damned shame "(Epist. I, 234). On 7 December 1911 he returned to Pietrelcina for health reasons, shall remain, subject to some brief interruption, until February 17 1916 (A Diary, 255).

Also because of his poor health, February 25 1915 he obtained permission to reside outside the convent, at his house, keeping the Capuchin habit. On 10 October 1915 between Pius answered questions peremptory, made to father Agostino da San Marco in Lamis, saying he had received the stigmata, "visible, especially in one hand, and, praying to the Lord, the problem disappeared, but not the pain that was "acutissimo" (Epist. I, 669). Also revealed that he suffered nearly every week, for some years, the crowning of thorns and the scourging (ibid.).

The same year, November 6, was called to arms and went to the military district of Benevento (Epist: I, 684-686). On December 6 was assigned to the tenth healthcare company in Naples. He served many licenses for health reasons up to be permanently reformed three years later, due to a double broncoalveolite, March 16 1918 with determining the main director of Naples

Meanwhile, on 17 February 1916 between Pius came in Foggia, it being about seven months and are staying in the convent of Saint Anne. On the evening of July 28, accompanied by Father Paolino Casacalenda from among Pio arrived for the first time in San Giovanni Rotondo. While feeling better in this place, after about a week fell again to breathe the air of Foggia afosa since asked for permission to father provincial, even if not necessary, slow to come (Epist. I, 796s).

Pio between August 13 so he wrote to the province, asking them to "spend some 'time in San Giovanni Rotondo, where Jesus assured that it would be better to raise a' body and ready to take additional tests to which he you would assoggettarlo (Epist. I, 798). On 4 September 1916 and then returned "temporarily" to the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo, awaiting the arrival of the father provincial, for the decision of his stable home. Fra Pio was finally left in this convent, with the office of spiritual director of the seminary seraphic.