The shrine was conceived in 1997 by Marie and Pete D'Andrea, Italian-American farmers in Buena, and was designed by local architect Ron Angelo.[2] The structure was completed in 2002, and consists of a four-storey monument and three statues on ten acres of land. The monument is composed of a steel frame covered with white stucco, and inside the monument are the statues of Padre Pio, the Blessed Mother, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.[3] The shrine has a glove of Saint Padre Pio as a relic.[2]Rosary prayer sessions are held at the shrine on Wednesday evenings (7:00 PM), and some individuals have claimed to have experienced miracles resulting from praying at the shrine.[4][5] In 2009, the shrine suffered damage during a robbery attempt of the shrine's donation box.[6]