Pope Saint Pius X

The 21st of August is the feast day of Pope Saint Pius X (2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914). He was born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, and is the patron saint of the Society of Saint Pius X, Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia; Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa; first communicants; Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, Montana; Archdiocese of Kottayam, India; Esperantists; pilgrims; Santa Luċija, Malta; Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Archdiocese of Zamboanga, Philippines; emigrants from Treviso; Patriarchy of Venice; and Catechists.

Giuseppe Melchoire was born in 1835, from a family in Venetia and was one of ten children. His parents ensured Giuseppe had good education and Giuseppe had to walk nearly four miles to school each day. He received a scholarship to enter in one of the best seminaries available in his day. He was ordained in 1858. Pope Leo II made him cardinal and after he died, Giuseppe was elected to be Supreme Pontiff in 1903 and he took the name of Pius X. He is known as one of the greatest reforming popes in history. He helped reform the elections of the pope, seminary life, the liturgy, studies of the bible, the Divine Office, catechesis, how the Roman Curia is organised and canon law. He denounced Modernism as “the summation of all heresies” and lowered the age of First Holy Communion to the age of reason. He was especially devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Confidence. He died in 1914 on the 20th of August at the age of 79.

Image: Portrait of Pope St. Pius X 23 April 1910