ROME, 7 (NE) Approximately three thousand pilgrims participated yesterday afternoon in the ceremony of opening of the door of the sanctuary of "Holy Mary of Grace," in St. Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, where the relics of Blessed Padre Pio are kept. Thousands of pilgrims are expected to travel this year to the sanctuary, in the region of Foggia, to pay homage and ask for the intercession of Padre Pio.

    As the Italian news agency ANSA informed, a procession of faithful headed by the Archbishop paid homage to the relics of the Blessed capuchin father, raised to the altars last year in one of the most attended ceremonies celebrated in the city of Rome. Yesterday's opening of the door of the shrine in St. Giovanni Rotondo was part of the activities on occasion of the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 in this region of Italy.

    As a capuchin religious declared to ANSA, "this year we expected a greater number of pilgrims coming to pray over the tomb of Blessed Padre Pio. Our predictions have been confirmed by the thousands of faithful that this afternoon have waited in prayer for the opening of the door of the sanctuary."