The Initiative

On the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the beatification of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, and to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Saint Pio Foundation, the aforementioned Foundation, under the auspice of the Vatican's Dicastery of Communication and the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Vatican, will present the"Photographs of Saint Pio - Memories of a Saint" to the world.

For this auspicious occasion, the Saint Pio Foundation has sought the collaboration of Saint Pio's personal photographer, Mr. Elia Stelluto, to release ten authentic photographs of the Saint, which will be made available to the Catholic people and devotees of Saint Pio free of charge, through this dedicated website.

The authentic photographs have been personally selected by the photographer and tenor Luciano Lamonarca, Founder of the Saint Pio Foundation. Their high resolution will allow Catholic institutions, faithful, groups and individuals to download and print them in order to foster devotion to Saint Pio, but these may not be used for the creation of commercial projects.

“In an important year like this, where we celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the beatification of Saint Pio and the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Saint Pio Foundation, we wished to mark these important milestones by making a gift to the millions of devotees and faithful of Saint Pio in the form of these authentic images of their beloved saint, whom they wish to bring in their homes, churches, shops and entrust themselves and their lives to Him. Through promoting his charism, we humbly recognize Saint Pio for His blessings and protection all these years.

A gift for everyone, made possible thanks to our collaboration with photographer Elia Stelluto, who agreed to support our initiative”. – Luciano Lamonarca, Founder and CEO, Saint Pio Foundation.

“In all these years I have always made the photos of Saint Pio in my possession available to those who have asked me, in order to be able to increase the devotion of Saint Pio. 

When Luciano Lamonarca, founder of the Saint Pio Foundation, asked me to allow the use of ten photographs of Saint Pio for free, on the occasion of the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the aforementioned Foundation, and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the beatification of Saint Pio, I gave my consent. They are beautiful images, some of them unpublished, which show the saint in all his simplicity. 

It is a gift that I give so that the Catholic community can benefit from this act of love, certain of doing something that is especially pleasing to Saint Pio”. – Elia Stelluto, Saint Pio's Personal Photographer.

The press conference will be held at the Filmoteca Vaticana, on April 29, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Keynote speakers will include: The Most Reverend Felice Accrocca, Archbishop of Benevento, Mr. Elia Stelluto, Saint Pio's personal photographer, Mr. Andrea Torselli, Editorial Director of the Vatican Dicastery of Communication, and tenor Luciano Lamonarca, Founder and CEO of the Saint Pio Foundation.

The Moderator will be Cecilia Seppia, Journalist of Vatican Radio - Vatican News.