The National Shrine Of Padre Pio In Sto Tomas Batangas

One of the main reasons why we have chosen Batangas as our destination for this year’s Pilgrimage Tour is because we’ve been wanting to visit the miraculous shrine of Padre Pio which is also situated in Sto Tomas Batangas. Right after visiting the St Thomas Aquinas Parish, we headed to the miraculous shrine right away. I am not good in giving directions but I can tell you that reaching the shrine was not that easy. It is not a kind of place that you can easily access. Aside from the the very narrow roads, you will be welcomed by an overwhelming amount of crowds and devotees. Even though we are just few kilometers away from the Shrine, it took us almost an hour of waiting because of the traffic. Looking for a space to park your car is also a challenge but the moment you reached the place, everything is worth it!  A view of the dome-like shrine from the entrance. This newly built church has an eco-friendly and tropical-inspired structure as it is made from wood, stone, bamboo and sasa (bamboo plant) that provide a relaxing atmosphere inside.   [ The Statue of Saint Padre Pio beside the Souvenir Shop]Padre Pio became famous for bearing the stigmata for most of his life. This condition generated much interest and controversy around him. On September 20, 1918, while hearing confessions, Padre Pio had his first occurrence of the stigmata: bodily marks, pain, and bleeding in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ. This phenomenon continued for fifty years, until the end of his life. The blood flowing from the stigmata smelled of perfume or flowers, a phenomenon mentioned in stories of the lives of several saints and often referred to as the odour of sanctity.
Another life sized image of Padre Pio The Welcome arch of the Shrine. “Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry”. This is the phrase that you will encounter almost everywhere even before reaching the actual shrine. An overwhelming phrase that will surely set your mood.
The roof of the church is shaped like a giant salakot to remind the faithful of how God protects us from all evil and harm just as how the salakot protects farmers and firsherman from the rains and from the heat of the sun.
A closer image of Mary situated on top of the dome. The Mother of Mercy Belfry. The Belfry is one of the Church’s structures many pilgrims and parishioners love to visit, where they express their devotion and faith. Its construction, including the three beautifully crafted bells from Holland, was made possible through the generosity of Dr. Mercedes Oliver. (source: http://dambanapadrepio.org/)
Underneath the Belfry lies the Chapel of the Living Water. The devotees come here to be blessed by the holy water. This water is said to be miraculous based on many reports that they are being blessed by it in different ways. A relic of Padre Pio Claypots filled with Holy Water can be found in every corner of the chapel allowing the devotees to get as many water as they want.
The chapel is also filled with different images of Mary for whom Padre Pio had a deep and special devotion. Here’s an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Our Lady of Assumption Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Caysasay
Beside the Chapel of Living Water is the Wood of the Most Sacred Cross Of Our Lord Jesus Christ Sactuary where another relic can be found. A Relic inside the golden cross.
A closer look to the belfry A View inside the church. They also have life size images depicting the stations of the cross much like what we have seen from Via Dolorosa and I am going to share them in a separate entry.