BRAINTREE -- "I'm very excited to announce that the Capuchin Friars who run the Shrine of St. Padre Pio have offered to come to Boston with the heart of Padre Pio for his feast day this year," Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley said in the Sept. 2 post of his weekly blog, CardinalSeansBlog.org.

"This is the first time any major relic of Padre Pio has left Italy, and we are so pleased that they have offered to come to Boston for this historic visit. We know that many people throughout our country have a great devotion to Padre Pio, so the friars have made this possible especially for those who are not able to travel to San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy to venerate his relics and pray for his intercession," he continued.

The relic will be in the Boston area from Sept. 21-23, which will be the only stop during this trip.

According to a schedule released by the Archdiocese of Boston, the locations where the public may view the relic are:

Wednesday, Sept. 21

9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Immaculate Conception, Lowell. Veneration will be held throughout the day with Mass at noon.

7 p.m.-midnight at St. Leonard's Church, North End of Boston. Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m., followed by veneration until midnight.

Thursday, Sept. 22

9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Archdiocese of Boston Pastoral Center, Braintree. Veneration will be held throughout the day with Mass at noon.

7 p.m.-midnight at The Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston. Spanish Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m., followed by veneration until midnight.

Friday, Sept. 23 (The Feast of St. Padre Pio)

9 a.m.-midnight at The Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston. Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m., followed by veneration throughout the day. Cardinal O'Malley will also celebrate Mass at 7 p.m., followed by veneration until midnight.