An image of Saint Padre Pio welcomes pilgrims at the entrance of the shrine in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, the site was officially declared an international shrine after getting the nod from the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelization. 📷Daniel Dean Jacob, ABS-CBN News
Ask the ambulant vendors around the shrine of Saint Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, and they will tell you how they never expected it to become the massive center of pilgrimage that it is today.
On Wednesday, September 23, coinciding with the saint's feast, the church that started as a humble parish officially became an international shrine.
Thousands of miles away from San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy, where the fabled story of the Capuchin saint began, the shrine has been a center of devotion, attracting thousands of visitors from across the country and the world.
Fr. Paul Hermano knows this transformation better than most.
"We never expected that it would become this big at hindi ko rin naman in-expect, as a young seminarian, na akoy magiging pari na maa-assign dito as parochial vicar," he said.
"Pero gayunpaman, siguro nakikita na namin noon 'yung influx ng devotion, influx ng pilgrims... talagang growing numbers 'yung pumupunta dito. Kaya, really, the Lord led us here, and Padre Pio guided us up to this point."
(We never expected that it would become this big and I also did not expect, as a young seminarian, that I will be assigned here as a priest. But even then, we already saw the influx of pilgrims. The numbers were really growing. The Lord led us here and Padre Pio guided us up to this point.)
Fr. Paul Hermano, parochial vicar of the International Shrine of Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, shared that he was a young seminarian when the church started as a parish in 2003. 📷Daniel Dean Jacob, ABS-CBN News
It was in 2003, a year after Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio as saint, that the then archbishop of Lipa, now Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, decided to establish a new parish to serve 10 barangays in Sto. Tomas.
It quickly rose to fame as pilgrimage site, becoming an archdiocesan shrine in 2008 and getting the recognition from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) as national shrine in 2015.
Following a strong recommendation from the Filipino bishops, the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelization issued the decree on May 25, 2026 recognizing the shrine's international significance, placing it among the select churches to receive such a distinction.
Unofficial tracking of journalists listed only less than 20 international shrines across the world. In the Philippines, the Padre Pio shrine is the second place of worship to receive the title after the Antipolo Cathedral, home to the widely revered image of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.
"This is not only a recognition. Oo, tuwang-tuwa tayo, we take pride bilang mga Batangueño, 'ah dito sa Archdiocese of Lipa mayroong international shrine,' o bilang mga Pilipino, dito sa atin mayroong dalawa pa na international shrine," Hermano said.
"This is a responsibility. Sa paglaki at pagtaas ng antas natin bilang damabana, nandun 'yung responsibilidad na patuloy na ibigay sa ating mga pilgrims 'yung kinakailangan nila, 'yung sakramento, mga pagbabasbas, pakikinig sa kanilang mga kwento."
(Yes, we are very happy. We take pride as Batangueños that we have an international shrine here at the Archdiocese of Lipa and of course as a Filipino, now that we have two international shrines. This is a responsibility. As its status as a shrine is elevated, we have a responsibility to serve the pilgrims as needed, the sacraments, the blessings, and even the need to listen to people's stories.)
Indeed, countless stories have become woven into the fabric of the shrine. With thousands of pilgrims arriving daily, stories of miraculous healing have only deepened the shrine's appeal and devotion among the faithful.
Devotees of Padre Pio venerates his relic and image at the international shrine in Batangas dedicated to the Capuchin saint. 📷Daniel Dean Jacob, ABS-CBN News One of them was 64-year-old Mila Lopez.
Traveling from Manila, she did not mind the two-hour travel to Batangas just to fulfill her devotion to Padre Pio.
"Masayang-masaya ako 'pag narito ako," she said. "Walang malayo, walang pagod, basta para sa kanya, okay na okay kami."
(I'm very happy whenever I'm here. The distance doesn't matter. Even if I'm tired, as long as it's for him, I'm okay.)
A few years ago, Lopez had kidney stones that required medical treatment. Worried about her health, she said it was around this time she learned about Padre Pio and stories of the saint's intercession, particularly in cases of illness and healing.
In tears, Lopez said she believes the saint's prayer healed her.
"Talagang hiniling ko na ako'y tulungan, dagdag-buhay, dagdag-lakas, kagalingan. 'Yun lang. Pero iba ang naramdaman ko. Talagang malaking pagbabago," she said in tears.
(I prayed for help, to extend my life, revive my strength, and heal me. That's it. I feel different. I was really healed.)
But it wasn't all grand tales of miraculous healing.
For some, devotion is found in something quieter, in thanksgiving and the simple act of returning.
That was the case for 74-year-old Julita Pangilinan, who traveled from Quezon City along with her family.
"Nagsisimba kami dito kay Padre Pio humihingi kami ng awa para sa kalusugan ng pamilya ko at nagpapasalamat din kami sa kalakasang binibigay sa 'min," she said.
"Masaya 'pag pumupunta kami dito kay Padre Pio, parang magaan ang katawan."
(We attend the Holy Mass here to ask for mercy, good health for my family. We are thankful for the strength given to us. We feel happy whenever we go here to Padre Pio, we feel relieved.)
Fr. Hermano, a priest of nearly five years, admitted he was in awe of these stories.
"Lahat ng kwentong ito ay kwento ng Diyos, ito ay kwento ng pananampalataya, ito'y kwento ng himala," he said.
(All these stories are stories of God, stories of faith, stories of miracles.)
Asked if he, too, prays for miracles, he said his petitions were of strength and guidance to continue his growing mission.
"Humihiling ako ng lakas at paggabay na magampanan 'yung ipinagkatiwala sa akin bagama't hindi karapat-dapat pero patuloy na ginagabayan sa aking ministeryo bilang pari," the priest said.
(I pray for strength and guidance that the responsibilities given to me, although I'm unworthy, that I may continue with my ministry as a priest.)
The shrine, much like the devotion surrounding it, is unmistakably Filipino.
Far from the grandeur of the Padre Pio Shrine in the province of Foggia in Italy, where the saint lived until his death in 1968, the pilgrimage site in Batangas bore traditional Filipino design elements.
The roof of the main church of the International Shrine of Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas is shaped like the traditional Filipino hat "salakot." 📷Daniel Dean Jacob, ABS-CBN News
The main church has no enclosing walls or doors to suit its tropical setting, allowing natural light and air flow. Its circular architecture was topped with a broad roof designed after the “salakot,” a traditional wide-brimmed hat usually made of palm leaves, rattan, and dried gourds.
"Maraming magsasaka po dito, so ito 'yung imagery ng magsasaka, salakot. Ganun din, putting spiritual meaning into that, Jesus is our ultimate salakot. He protects us, not only from rain, not only from the strong heat of the sun, but from temptations, from sins," Hermano said.
(There are many farmers here so the imagery of the "salakot" is easy to make.)
The retablo, featuring a larger-than-life image of the crucified Christ, was adorned with bamboo designs. A separate chapel that houses various relics of Padre Pio also used capiz shells as interior designs.
"Napakaganda ng simbolismo ng kawayan, typically Filipino, simple, payak, matatag, matibay, humahapay, at times yumuyuko dahil sa hangin, ulan, pero nananatiling matibay. Hindi basta-basta susuko," the priest added.
"At ganyan ang mga taong pumupunta dito, may problema, mayroong iniinda, mayroong may sakit, humihiling ng kagalingan, nakayuko, nagpapakabababa, pero nananatiling matatag."
(The symbolism of the bamboo is really beautiful, typically Filipino, simple, humble, strong, at times it bends with the wind and rains, but always remaining strong and never gives up. And that's the kind of people who go here. They have problems, sickness. They may be bent, but they remain strong in their faith.)
Padre Pio was known for what the Catholic Church believes as extraordinary mystical gifts, like the stigmata, believed to be the wounds of Christ. Devotees and biographers also told stories of bilocation, reportedly seeing the saint appearing to believers miles away from his monastery. Present day Catholic exorcists refer to him as the bane of demons.
The retablo of the main church of the International Shrine of Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas is adorned with bamboo designs, giving a distinctly Filipino atmosphere as it rose to fame among pilgrims from all over the world. 📷Daniel Dean Jacob, ABS-CBN News For Fr. Hermano, aside from typical religiosity and appeals for miracle and healing, it was also the kind of life that Padre Pio lived that brought Filipinos to pay heed and follow the humble friar who became one of the most celebrate saints there is.
"Padre Pio went through all kinds of sufferings and hardships. May stigmata, bearing the wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ. Masakit 'yun, 'yung pang-uusig ng kanyang mga kapatid sa kumbento, kahit mga kapwa nya pari, mga tao tinutuligsa siya, binabato ng mga samu't saring mga issue. Pero hindi sumuko si Padre Pio doon. At 'yan ang kwento nating mga Pilipino," he said.
"May problema, nakararanas ng iba't ibang mga sakuna, may mga iniinda, pero hindi tayo tumitigil. We have that positive outlook na mayroong katapusan lahat ng ito, may kasagutan sa ating dasal. Ganyan si Padre Pio."
(Padre Pio went through all kinds of sufferings and hardships. He bore the stigmata, the wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was painful. He was shunned by his own brothers in the convent, he was criticized, various issues were thrown at him. But he did not give up. And that's the story of Filipinos. Despite our own problems, the calamities we face, the various sickness that we have, but these never stopped us. We have that positive outlook that all of these will come to end and that our prayers will be answered. And that's how Padre Pio was.)