This church serves as the parish church and is dedicated to Our Lady of Liberty (Madonna della Libera), the patron saint of Pietrelcina, venerated for the miraculous deliverance from the cholera outbreak in 1854. Padre Pio was deeply devoted to her, affectionately calling her “Our Little Madonna” (Madunnella nostra) and always kept an image of her in his cell.

It was in this church that, on August 14, 1910, Padre Pio celebrated his first Mass. At that time, the young friar had already returned to his hometown a year earlier, as a serious illness made it difficult for him and his fellow friars to remain in the convent. He stayed in Pietrelcina until 1916, spending those years immersed in intense mystical experiences and dedicated service to the local church. He assisted the parish priest, Don Salvatore Pannullo, by celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, and administering the sacraments.