He received his baptism on 12 July 1891 in the church of the Sacred Heart in La Forma – a small district in Serrone.
Pignalberi joined the Franciscan Conventuals on 30 October 1908 in Zagarolo in Rome and made his religious profession on 14 November 1909 after the conclusion of his novitiate.
Pignalberi became a popular and sought after confessor and preacher who travelled across the region at the request of parish priests and bishops alike.
He travelled to Poland in 1971 in connection with the beatification of Maximilian Kolbe whom Pope Paul VI beatified and he visited the late priest's cell at the Auschwitz concentration camp.
[1] On 1 April 1979 he met Pope John Paul II who embraced the frail priest and recognized him as the last custodian of Maximilian Kolbe's life and works.
[3] On 11 February 1992 the-then postulator for the Conventual Franciscans made a request to Bishop Dante Bernini of Albano to begin the cause of canonization for the late Pignalberi.
As the diocesan process took place he was proclaimed a Servant of God on 9 July 1992 after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints issued the official "nihil obstat" (nothing against) to the cause.
On 3 March 2016 he was proclaimed to be Venerable after Pope Francis confirmed that the late priest had lived a model Christian life of heroic virtue.