World | Italy Padre Pio's Shrine Now 2nd Only to Vatican Italy's most famous saint displaces Lourdes for religious tourists By Paul Stinson Posted May 8, 2008 6:12 PM CDT Copied In this photo released Monday, March 3, 2008, by "Voce Padre Pio" organization, Archbishop Domenico D'Ambrosio, left, and other priests look at the coffin containing the remains of Padre Pio. (AP Photo) Move over, Lourdes. Padre Pio’s shrine in southern Italy is now the world’s second-largest religious tourist destination, reports the ANSA news agency. About 9 million tourists will visit the saint’s body, a million more than the French site and second only to the Vatican. Followers believe Pio, made a saint in 2002, bore the wounds of Christ on his hands for at least a half-century. His glass-sided coffin will be on display until September 2009, netting the Padre Pio shrine about $160 million a year. Read These Next The 8 Democrats who bucked party on shutdown have something in common. Here's where things stand in the House ahead of shutdown vote. Merchants could slap new surcharges on certain credit card purchases. Hormone therapy for menopause was unfairly demonized, says the FDA. Report an error