St. Bede the Venerable, a church in Holland, recently saw a major celebration that remembered the legacy of a famous saint.

Last week, Archbishop Nelson Perez, the Archbishop of Philadelphia, visited the church to oversee the 8th Annual Padre Pio Festival. The festival saw members of the church’s congregation come together the remember the saint, who is widely revered in the Catholic Church.

The church’s parish worked with a local chapter of the Knights of Columbus to organize the celebration.

Padre Pio, born Francesco Forgione, was an Italian friar and priest who, according to tradition and legend, received the stigmata (the wounds of Jesus Christ) on his hands, and is said to have performed many miracles in his lifetime. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in May of 1999 and canonized in June of 2022.

In the Catholic faith, he is widely venerated and prayed to. His official celebration in the church will be on Sept. 23.

Most recently, his story was made into a film, with actor Shia LeBeouf playing the role of Pio.

Learn more about the celebration at St. Bede the Venerable.

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