Visit the National Centre for Padre Pio in this Jubilee Year Dedicated to Saint Francis!

In commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pope Leo XIV has decreed a Jubilee Year, inviting the faithful throughout the world to rediscover the holiness, simplicity, and Gospel-centered life of the beloved saint.

This sacred year is a time of renewal—marked by prayer, pilgrimage, penance, and works of mercy. Saint Francis, who embraced radical poverty, joyful humility, and profound love for Christ crucified, continues to call us to deeper conversion and trust in Divine Providence. Eight centuries after his death, his witness remains a guiding light for a world longing for peace and authentic discipleship.

The Franciscan Spirit and Padre Pio

The bond between Saint Francis and Padre Pio is both spiritual and deeply visible. As a Capuchin Franciscan friar, Padre Pio faithfully lived the Franciscan vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, embracing prayer, penance, fraternity, and love for the poor.

Most profoundly, both saints bore the sacred stigmata—the wounds of Christ—uniting them in a unique participation in the Passion of Our Lord. In honoring Saint Francis, we also honor the Franciscan charism that shaped Padre Pio’s priesthood and continues to lead souls to God through his powerful intercession.

A Designated Jubilee Pilgrimage Site

Because of our patron, Padre Pio, the National Centre for Padre Pio has been designated as one of the official pilgrimage sites where the faithful may obtain the Jubilee Year plenary indulgence. Pilgrims are invited to visit from now through January 10, 2027, in order to obtain this indulgence. 

We prayerfully invite pilgrims to journey to the Centre in Barto, Pennsylvania, to participate in Jubilee liturgies, spend time before Our Lord in Eucharistic adoration, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and walk in the spiritual footsteps of both Saint Francis and Padre Pio. This holy ground—dedicated to leading souls to Jesus through the example and intercession of Padre Pio—now becomes a special place of grace during this Franciscan Jubilee.

The Gift of a Plenary Indulgence

During this Jubilee Year, the Church offers the faithful the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence, a profound gift of Divine Mercy.

A plenary indulgence removes all temporal punishment due to sins that have already been forgiven. It may be applied either to oneself or to a soul in Purgatory.

Conditions to Obtain a Plenary Indulgence

To receive a plenary indulgence, the following conditions must be fulfilled:

Sacramental Confession
Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation within approximately 20 days before or after performing the indulgenced act.

Holy Communion
Worthily receive the Eucharist, preferably on the same day the indulgenced work is completed.

Prayer for the Intentions of the Holy Father
Offer prayers for the Pope’s intentions (commonly an Our Father and a Hail Mary, though any prayer may be offered).

Complete Detachment from Sin
Be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin. Without this interior disposition, the indulgence becomes partial rather than plenary.

Perform the Prescribed Indulgenced Act
Devoutly participate in designated Jubilee liturgies, make a pilgrimage to an approved Jubilee site—such as the National Centre for Padre Pio—engage in Eucharistic adoration, or carry out other specified spiritual works announced for this jubilee year.

A Year of Grace

This Jubilee Year dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi is not simply a remembrance of the past—it is a call to holiness in the present. Like Saint Francis and Padre Pio, we are invited to live fully according to the Franciscan way:

• Embrace poverty, detaching from worldly attachments
• Live in chastity, offering our hearts wholly to God
• Practice obedience, surrendering our will to God’s plan

May this Jubilee Year be a time of profound renewal for you and your family, as you seek the grace of the plenary indulgence and draw nearer to the Heart of Christ through the intercession of Saint Francis and Padre Pio.