Padre Pio, or Francesco Forgione was born on May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, a small town and commune 15 kilometers from the province of Benevento, in the Campania region of Southern Italy. At the time of his birth, there were only about 4,000 inhabitants in Benevento.

Born to farmer parents, Grazio Mario Forgione and Maria Giuseppa Di Nunzio, Padre Pio was the fourth of eight children, three of whom died at a very young age.  He was baptized at Castle Church the day after his birth and was given the name Francesco, the same name given to his brother who died as an infant. He grew up with an older brother, Michele, and three younger sisters, Felicita, Pellegrina, and Grazia. He was given the nickname “il bel Francesco” which means “beautiful Francesco” because of his beautiful light brown eyes.