On 6 February 2018 the first major milestone in the creation of the Cittadella di Padre Pio was reached. The municipality of Drapia issued to Irene Gaeta, the association chairperson, permission to build the first building of the major Cittadella project, the Our Lady of Tears centre.
The administrative provision (no. 3 of 2018), much awaited by all of the association members and benefactors who have worked over these past years towards the realisation of the project inspired by Padre Pio, means the first worksite of the Cittadella will be able to open before May 2018.