The
Avenue of the Capuchins was first used for the Via
Crucis in 1939, but over the years, , ,
this holy tradition became ever more difficult to
perform due to the increase in traffic. The Capuchin
friars therefore decided to build a new Via Crucis,
and the levelling works began on 25 May 1968, Padre
Pio's birthday.
It was officially inaugurated on 25th May 1971.
The Via Crucis now winds its way up the slopes of
Monte Castellano, following the avenue that runs
through the pine woods,The
stations of the Via Crucis and Franco Messina's
statue of Padre Pio, the Madonna and Christ resurrected
are true works of religious art. These sculptures,
positioned in the midst of the picturesque greenery
of the pine trees and the red Gargano rock, stand
out against the blue sky of Puglia and the multi-coloured
Dauna plain.
The bends in the road continuously intersect the
flight of steps leading directly to the Square of
the Resurrection, home to the statue of Christ resurrected.
Padre Pio's Spirituality
Spiritual
school
"Let
us always trust in God, and may our lively faith and the comfort of Christian
hope assist us in this. We must pray continually, moreover, that peace may soon
smile on the nations. We should turn our thoughts to heaven, our true homeland,
of which our earthly country is but a dim image, and make every effort with the
divine assistance to preserve at all times, amidst happy or sad events, the cheerful
calm that becomes the true followers of the fair Nazarene" (Epist. I,
p. 596)
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