A new television station associated with the Church in Italy will begin broadcasting in January 2004, from San Giovanni Rotundo, the home of Padre Pio, and will be called “Padre Pio TV.”

The capuchin saint, who is very popular in Italy, was canonized in 2002 by John Paul II and lived in San Giovanni Rotondo for many years, where he founded a hospital.  The shrine dedicated to Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, which is located in southern Italy, is one of the visited shrines in the world.