Cardinal Parolin marks 70 years of Padre Pio’s hospital, highlighting its mission of compassion, care, and medical excellence in Italy.
Newsroom (05/05/2026 Gaudium Press )Thousands gathered in San Giovanni Rotondo to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, the hospital founded by Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, in a ceremony that blended spiritual reflection with recognition of medical excellence.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, presided over the celebrations held at the exact site where Padre Pio delivered the hospital’s inaugural address on May 5, 1956. More than a thousand faithful, clergy, and civil and military authorities attended the event, which began with a solemn procession carrying the saint’s relic to the hospital’s pronaos.
In his homily, Cardinal Parolin described the institution as a powerful expression of love emerging from suffering. Drawing on the Gospel invitation—“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”—he emphasized how Padre Pio transformed his own experience of pain into a mission of care for the sick and the poor. “Suffering often generates confusion and anger,” Parolin said, “but love has the power to lift and bring relief.”
A Mission Rooted in Compassion
Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza was conceived as a place where medical treatment is inseparable from human dignity and compassion. Parolin highlighted the hospital’s enduring commitment to combining clinical expertise with attentive care for patients, noting that “relief truly finds its home here.”
He also conveyed the support of Pope Leo XIV, reaffirming the pontiff’s confidence in the institution and gratitude toward its staff—doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and administrators—who serve thousands of patients each year.
The hospital’s name itself reflects a central tenet of Christian charity. Parolin recalled the words of Saint John Paul II, who described “the relief of suffering” as a defining expression of the fraternal love taught by Christ and a hallmark of his disciples.
From Charity to Clinical Excellence
Founded with just 250 beds, Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza has grown into one of Italy’s leading polyclinics. In 2025 alone, it recorded more than 35,000 hospital admissions, over 1.1 million outpatient services, and an average of 30,200 surgical procedures annually.
Its reach extends beyond the region, with 12–13 percent of patients arriving from other parts of southern Italy, including Calabria, Campania, Basilicata, and Molise. The hospital employs 2,547 staff members across medical, technical, and administrative roles.
Internationally recognized for its quality, the institution has been listed by Newsweek for seven consecutive years among the world’s best hospitals, ranking first in southern Italy. Il Sole 24 Ore has also included it among the country’s top 21 centers of excellence for complex care.
As a Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), the foundation is deeply engaged in research in neurology, oncology, and diagnostics. With more than 150 researchers, approximately 300 annual publications in leading international journals, and advanced laboratories spanning 8,700 square meters, it remains at the forefront of genomic and regenerative medicine.
Continuing a “Prophecy”
Father Franco Moscone, president of the institution, reiterated its founding vision: to welcome every patient as Hospes Christi—a guest of Christ. He described the hospital as a living “prophecy” that remains unfinished.
“The prophecy of Casa Sollievo is not concluded,” Moscone said. “It still has many pages to write, many lives to care for and save, many stories to tell.”
Cardinal Parolin echoed this forward-looking perspective, urging those involved not to lose the spirit of the beginnings. Quoting Padre Pio’s inaugural words, he called for perseverance “in humility of spirit and with hearts lifted high,” acknowledging that even those who offer care may themselves need renewal.
Seventy years after its founding, Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza stands as both a spiritual and medical institution—an enduring example of how suffering, when met with compassion, can give rise to a legacy of healing.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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