Middle-aged flash packers

Today we visited San Giovanni Rotondo to see Saint Pio and the church his body is displayed in.

Now those of you who know me may be surprised that I made this pilgrimage, but there is a reason that Saint Pio is on my radar.

Five years ago when I was teaching at Ardmore language school, I had the dubious pleasure of trying to get over 30 17 year old, delightful but hormone fuelled Italian students through quite a challenging English exam. I say challenging because their teacher insisted on them all being put in for higher level exams than I thought they were capable of. 

They came from San Giovanni, and as Saint Pio is the second most visited Catholic shrine in the world, he figured highly in the verbal section of the exam. I became quite an expert in Saint Pio, so when I realised we were staying within driving distance, I had to go.

Nothing prepared me for the utter awesomeness of the church. I have never seen such a magnificent piece of modern architecture. Honestly, it’s breathtaking. 

It’s a bit like a spaceship. It has doors around it that slide up, suspended arches inside the church and modern catacombs that are decorated with the most sublime mosaics. The pews are made from chunky, smooth pieces of wood, no screws, they just fit together perfectly. 

St Pio’s remains are on display in a smaller church inside the main one. The ceiling is decorated in gold with incense holders hanging from it. Mosaics are everywhere.

Outside is a huge cross and the approach to the church is dotted with olive trees, carefully surrounded by circles of stones. Everything looks ordered and there is a strong sense of serenity. The only other place I’ve felt such an affinity with a holy place is the Bhodi tree in Lumbini – Bhudda was sitting underneath it when he achieved enlightenment.

All good things must come to an end and I returned to my usual heathen ways but St Pio’s church is a stunner. If you get a chance to see it, please go.

By the way, all but one of the students passed their exam. A bit of divine intervention perhaps?