PopeSaint Pius X
Bishop of Rome
Pius X in 1903 (digitally colored)
Church	Catholic Church
Diocese	Diocese of Rome
See	Holy See
Papacy began	4 August 1903
Papacy ended	20 August 1914
Predecessor	Leo XIII
Successor	Benedict XV
Orders
Ordination	18 September 1858 byGiovanni Antonio Farina
Consecration	16 November 1884 byLucido Maria Parocchi
Created cardinal	12 June 1893 byLeo XIII
Personal details
Birth name	Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto
Born	2 June 1835 Riese,Treviso,Lombardy-Venetia,Austrian Empire
Died	20 August 1914(aged79) Apostolic Palace,Rome,Kingdom of Italy
Previous post	ArchpriestofSalzano(1867–75) Chancellor of the Diocese of Treviso(1875–84) Vice-Capitular of Treviso (1879–80) Bishop of Mantova(1884–93) Patriarch of Venice(1893–1903) Cardinal-Priest of San Bernardo alle Terme(1893–1903)
Motto	Instaurare Omnia in Christo (Restore all things in Christ)[1]
Signature
Coat of arms
Sainthood
Feast day	21 August 3 September (General Roman Calendar 1955–1969)
Venerated in	Catholic Church
Beatified	3 June 1951 Saint Peters Basilica,Vatican City byPius XII
Canonized	29 May 1954 Saint Peters Basilica, Vatican City byPius XII
Patronage	Society of Saint Pius X[2] Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia;Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa;First Communicants;Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, Montana;Archdiocese of Kottayam, India;Esperantists;[3]pilgrims;Santa Luċija, Malta;Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri;Archdiocese of Zamboanga, Philippines; emigrants fromTreviso;Patriarchy of Venice;Catechists;[4] St. Pius X Seminary (Dubuque, Iowa)
Other popes named Pius

Pope Pius X(Italian:Pio X; bornGiuseppe Melchiorre Sarto;^{[a]2 June 1835– 20 August 1914) was head of theCatholic Churchfrom August 1903 to his death in 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposingmodernistinterpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting liturgical reforms and scholastic philosophy and theology. He initiated the preparation of the1917 Code of Canon Law, the first comprehensive and systemic work of its kind. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.}

Pius X was devoted to theMarian titleofOur Lady of Confidence; while his papal encyclicalAd diem illumtook on a sense of renewal that was reflected in the motto of his pontificate.^{[5]He advanced theLiturgical Movementby formulating the principle ofparticipatio actuosa(active participation) of the faithful in his motu proprioTra le sollecitudini(1903), he encouraged the frequent reception ofholy communion, and he lowered the age for First Communion, which became a lasting innovation of his papacy.[6]Like his predecessors, he promotedThomismas the principal philosophical method to be taught in Catholic institutions. As Romanpontiff, he vehemently opposedmodernismand various nineteenth-century philosophies, which he viewed as an import of secular errors incompatible withCatholic dogma.[7]He also reformed the Roman Curia (Apostolic ConstitutionSapienti consilio,1908).}

Pius X was known for his overall firm demeanor and sense of personal poverty.^{[8]He frequently gave homily sermons in the pulpit every week, a rare practice at the time.[b]After the1908 Messina earthquakehe filled theApostolic Palacewith refugees, long before the Italian government acted.[8]He rejected any kind of favours for his family; his close relatives chose to remain in poverty living near Rome.[8][9]During his pontificate, many famed Marian images were granted acanonical coronation, namely theOur Lady of Aparecida,Our Lady of the Pillar,Our Lady of the Cape,Our Lady of Chiquinquira of Colombia,Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos,Our Lady of La Naval de Manila,Virgin of Help of Venezuela,Our Lady of Carmel of New York, and theImmaculate Conceptionwithin theChapel of the ChoirinsideSaint Peters Basilicawere granted its prestigious honors.}

After his death, a strong cult of devotion followed his reputation of piety and holiness. He wasbeatifiedin 1951 and wascanonizedon 29 May 1954.^{[9]Thetraditionalist CatholicpriestlySociety of Saint Pius Xis named in his honor while a grand statue bearing his name stands withinSt. Peters Basilica; and his birth town was renamedRiese Pio Xafter his death.}

Early life and ministry[edit]

The Marian image ofOur Lady of Confidence, for whom Pius X had a religious devotion. TheBasilica of Saint John Lateran.

Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto was born inRiese, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, Austrian Empire (now Italy, province of Treviso) in 1835. He was the second born of ten children of Giovanni Battista Sarto (1792–1852) and Margarita Sanson (1813–1894). He was baptised 3 June 1835. Giuseppes childhood was one of poverty, being the son of the villagepostman. Though poor, his parents valued education, and Giuseppe walked 3.75 miles (6.04km) to school each day.

Giuseppe had three brothers and six sisters: Giuseppe Sarto (born 1834; died after six days), Angelo Sarto (1837–1916), Teresa Parolin-Sarto (1839–1920), Rosa Sarto (1841–1913), Antonia Dei Bei-Sarto (1843–1917), Maria Sarto (1846–1930), Lucia Boschin-Sarto (1848–1924), Anna Sarto (1850–1926), Pietro Sarto (born 1852; died after six months).^{[10]He rejected any kind of favours for his family; his brother remained a postal clerk, his favourite nephew stayed on as village priest, and his three single sisters lived together close to poverty in Rome, in the same way as other people of the same humble background lived.}

At a young age, Giuseppe studiedLatinwith his village priest, and went on to study at thegymnasiumofCastelfranco Veneto. "In 1850 he received thetonsurefrom theBishop of Treviso, and was given a scholarship [from] the Diocese of Treviso" to attend the Seminary ofPadua, "where he finished his classical, philosophical, and theological studies with distinction".^[11]

A young Giuseppe Sarto

On 18 September 1858, Sarto was ordained a priest, and became chaplain atTombolo. While there, Sarto expanded his knowledge of theology, studying bothThomas Aquinasandcanon law, while carrying out most of the functions of the parish pastor, who was quite ill. In 1867, he was namedarchpriestofSalzano. Here he restored the church and expanded the hospital, the funds coming from his own begging, wealth and labour. He became popular with the people when he worked to assist the sick during thecholeraplague that swept into northern Italy in the early 1870s. He was named acanonof the cathedral andchancellorof the Diocese of Treviso, also holding offices such as spiritual director andrectorof the Treviso seminary, and examiner of the clergy. As chancellor he made it possible forpublic schoolstudents to receive religious instruction. As a priest and later bishop, he often struggled over solving problems of bringing religious instruction to rural and urban youth who did not have the opportunity to attend Catholic schools.

In 1878, Bishop Federico Maria Zinelli^{[12]died, leaving the Bishopric ofTrevisovacant. Following Zinellis death, the canons of cathedral chapters (of whom Sarto was one) inherited the episcopal jurisdiction as a corporate body, and were chiefly responsible for the election of a vicar-capitular who would take over the responsibilities of Treviso until a new bishop was named. In 1879, Sarto was elected to the position, in which he served from December of that year to June 1880.}

After 1880, Sarto taughtdogmatic theologyandmoral theologyat theseminaryin Treviso. On 10 November 1884, he was appointedbishop of Mantuaby Leo XIII. He was consecrated six days later in Rome in the church ofSantApollinare alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrine,Rome, by CardinalLucido Parocchi, assisted byPietro Rota, and by Giovanni Maria Berengo. He was appointed to the honorary position ofassistant at the pontifical throneon 19 June 1891. Sarto required papal dispensation fromPope Leo XIIIbefore episcopal consecration as he lacked a doctorate,^{[13]making him the last Pope without a doctorate beforePope Francis.}

Cardinal and patriarch[edit]

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Photo as Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto

Pope Leo XIIImade him acardinalin an openconsistoryon 12 June 1893. He was created and proclaimed asCardinal-PriestofSan Bernardo alle Terme.Three days after this, Sarto was privately namedPatriarch of Venice. His name became public two days later. This caused difficulty, however, as the government of the reunified Italy claimed the right to nominate the patriarch based on its previous alleged exercise by theEmperor of Austria. The poor relations between theRoman Curiaand the Italian civil government since the annexation of thePapal Statesin 1870 placed additional strain on the appointment. The number of vacantseessoon grew to 30. Sarto was finally permitted to assume the position of patriarch in 1894.

As cardinal-patriarch, Sarto avoided political involvement, allocating his time for social works and strengthening parochial banks. However, in his firstpastoral letterto the Venetians, Sarto argued that in matters pertaining to the Pope, "There should be no questions, no subtleties, no opposing of personal rights to his rights, but only obedience."

Pontifical election of 1903[edit]

Cardinal Luigi Macchi announces the election of Sarto as Pope Pius X

On 20 July 1903, Leo XIII died, and at the end of that month theconclaveconvened to elect his successor. According to historians, the favorite was the late popes secretary of state, CardinalMariano Rampolla. On the first ballot, Rampolla received 24 votes, Gotti had 17 votes, and Sarto 5 votes. On the second ballot, Rampolla had gained five votes, as did Sarto. The next day, it seemed that Rampolla would be elected. However, the veto (jus exclusivae) against Rampollas nomination, by Polish CardinalJan Puzyna de KosielskofromKrakówin the name of EmperorFranz Joseph(1848–1916) ofAustria-Hungary, was proclaimed.^{[14]Many in the conclave, including Rampolla, protested against the veto, and it was even suggested that he be elected pope despite the veto.}

However, the third vote had already begun, and thus the conclave had to continue with the voting, which resulted in no clear winner, though it did indicate that many of the conclave wished to turn their support to Sarto, who had 21 votes upon counting. The fourth vote showed Rampolla with 30 votes and Sarto with 24. It seemed clear that the cardinals were moving toward Sarto.

On the following morning, the fifth vote of the conclave was taken, and the count had Rampolla with 10 votes, Gotti with two votes, and Sarto with 50 votes.^{[15][16]Thus, on 4 August 1903, Sarto was elected to the pontificate. This marked the last known time a veto would be exercised by a Catholic monarch in the proceedings of the conclave.}

At first, it is reported, Sarto declined the nomination, feeling unworthy. Additionally, he had been deeply saddened by the Austro-Hungarian veto and vowed to rescind these powers andexcommunicateanyone who communicated such a veto during a conclave.^{[14]With the cardinals asking him to reconsider, it is further reported, he went into solitude, and took the position after deep prayer in the Pauline chapel and the urging of his fellow cardinals.}

In accepting the papacy, Sarto took as his papal name Pius X, out of respect for his recent predecessors of the same name, particularly that ofPope Pius IX(1846–1878), who had fought against theological liberals and for papal supremacy. Pius Xs traditionalcoronationtook place on the following Sunday, 9 August 1903. Upon being elected pope he was also formally the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem,prefect of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, andprefect of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation. There was however a cardinal-secretary to run these bodies on a day-to-day basis.

Pontificate[edit]

An official photograph of Pius X wearingPapal regaliaon 14 August 1903.

Papal styles of Pope Pius X
Reference style	His Holiness
Spoken style	Your Holiness
Religious style	Holy Father
Posthumous style	Saint

Pope Pius X resting in theVatican Gardens.

The pontificate of Pius X was noted for its conservative theology and reforms in liturgy and church law. In what became his motto, the Pope stated in 1903 that his papacy would undertakeInstaurare Omnia in Christo, or "to restore all things in Christ." In his first encyclical (E supremi apostolatus, 4 October 1903), he stated his overriding policy as follows: "We champion the authority of God. His authority and Commandments should be recognized, deferred to, and respected."

His simple origins became clear right after his election, when he wore a pectoral cross made of gilded metal on the day of his coronation and when his entourage was horrified, the new pope complained that he always wore it and that he had brought no other with him.^{[17]He was well known for cutting down on papal ceremonies. He also abolished the custom of the pope dining alone, which had been established byPope Urban VIII, and invited his friends to eat with him.[c]}

When chided by Romes social leaders for refusing to make his peasant sisters papal countesses, he responded: "I have made them sisters of the Pope; what more can I do for them?"^[17]

He developed a reputation as being very friendly with children. He carried candy in his pockets for the street urchins in Mantua and Venice, and taughtcatechismto them. During papal audiences, he would gather children around him and talk to them about things that interested them. His weekly catechism lessons in the courtyard of San Damaso in the Vatican always included a special place for children, and his decision to require theConfraternity of Christian Doctrinein every parish was partly motivated by a desire to reclaim children from religious ignorance.^[17]

Church reforms and theology[edit]

Restoration in Christ and Mariology[edit]

Pius X promoted daily communion for all Catholics, a practice that was criticized for introducing irreverence. In his 1904 encyclicalAd diem illum, he views Mary in the context of "restoring everything in Christ".

He wrote:

Spiritually we all are her children and she is the mother of us, therefore, she is to be revered like a mother.^{[19]Christ is the Word made Flesh and the Savior of mankind. He had a physical body like every other man: and as savior of the human family, he had a spiritual and mystical body, the Church. This, the Pope argues has consequences for our view of the Blessed Virgin. She did not conceive the Eternal Son of God merely that He might be made man taking His human nature from her, but also, by giving him her human nature, that He might be the Redeemer of men. Mary, carrying the Savior within her, also carried all those whose life was contained in the life of the Savior. Therefore, all the faithful united to Christ, are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones[20]from the womb of Mary like a body united to its head. Through a spiritual and mystical fashion, all are children of Mary, and she is their Mother. Mother, spiritually, but truly Mother of the members of Christ (S. Aug. L. de S. Virginitate, c. 6).[19]}

Tra le sollecitudiniand Gregorian chant[edit]

Within three months of his coronation, Pius X published hismotu proprioTra le sollecitudini.ClassicalandBaroquecompositions had long been favoured overGregorian chantin ecclesiastical music.^{[21]The Pope announced a return to earlier musical styles, championed byLorenzo Perosi. Since 1898, Perosi had been Director of theSistine Chapel Choir, a title which Pius X upgraded to "Perpetual Director". The Popes choice ofJoseph Pothierto supervise the new editions of chant led to the official adoption of theSolesmesedition of Gregorian chant.}

Liturgical reforms[edit]

In his papacy, Pius X worked to increase devotion in the lives of the clergy andlaity, particularly in theBreviary, which hereformed considerably, and theMass.

Besides restoring to prominence Gregorian Chant, he placed a renewedliturgicalemphasis on theEucharist, saying, "Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven." To this end, he encouraged frequent reception of Holy Communion. This also extended to children who had reached the "age of discretion", though he did not permit the ancient Eastern practice ofinfant communion. He also emphasized frequent recourse to theSacrament of Penanceso that Holy Communion would be received worthily. Pius Xs devotion to the Eucharist would eventually earn him the honorific of "Pope of the Blessed Sacrament", by which he is still known among his devotees.

In 1910, he issued the decreeQuam singulari, which changed the age at which communion could be received from 12 to 7 years old, theage of discretion. The pope lowered the age because he wished to impress the event on the minds of children and stimulate their parents to new religious observance; this decree was found unwelcome in some places due to the belief that parents would withdraw their children early from Catholic schools, now thatFirst Communionwas carried out earlier.^[17]

Pius X said in his 1903motu proprioTra le sollecitudini, "The primary and indispensable source of the true Christian spirit is participation in the most holy mysteries and in the public, official prayer of the church."^[17]

He also sought to modify papal ceremonies to underscore their religious significance by eliminating occasions for applause. For example, when entering his first public consistory for the creation of cardinals in November 1903, he was not carried above the crowds on thesedia gestatoriaas was traditional. He arrived on foot wearing a cope and mitre at the end of the procession of prelates "almost hidden behind the double line of Palatine Guards through which he passed".^[22]

Anti-modernism[edit]

Pope Leo XIII had sought to revive the inheritance ofThomas Aquinas, the marriage of reason and revelation, as a response to secular enlightenment. Under the pontificate of Pius Xneo-Thomismbecame the blueprint for an approach to theology.^{[23]Perhaps the most controversial aspect of Pius Xs papacy was his vigorous condemnation of what he termed Modernists, whom he regarded as dangers to theCatholic faith(see for example hisoath against modernism). He also encouraged the formation and efforts ofSodalitium Pianum(or League of Pius V), an anti-Modernist network of informants, which was seen negatively by many people, due to its accusations of heresy against people on the flimsiest evidence.[17]This campaign against Modernism was run byUmberto Benigni, in the Department of Extraordinary Affairs in the Secretariat of State, which distributed anti-Modernist propaganda and gathered information on "culprits". Benigni had his own secret code – Pius X was known asMama.[24]}

Pius X in his study while receiving aportraiture. Nearby is a statue ofJohn Vianney.

Pius Xs attitude toward the Modernists was uncompromising. Speaking of those who counseled compassion to the "culprits" he said: "They want them to be treated with oil, soap and caresses. But they should be beaten with fists. In a duel, you dont count or measure the blows, you strike as you can."^[24]

The movement was linked especially to certain Catholic French scholars such asLouis Duchesne, who questioned the belief that God acts in a direct way in the affairs of humanity, andAlfred Loisy, who denied that some parts of Scripture were literally rather than perhaps metaphorically true. In contradiction to Thomas Aquinas they argued that there was an unbridgeable gap between natural and supernatural knowledge. Its unwanted effects, from the traditional viewpoint, were relativism and scepticism.^{[25]Modernism and relativism, in terms of their presence in the church, were theological trends that tried to assimilate modern philosophers likeImmanuel Kantas well as rationalism into Catholic theology.[citation needed]Modernists argued that beliefs of the church have evolved throughout its history and continue to evolve[citation needed]Anti-Modernists viewed these notions as contrary to the dogmas and traditions of the Catholic Church.}

In the decree, entitledLamentabili sane exitu^{[26](or "A Lamentable Departure Indeed"), issued on 3 July 1907 by the Holy Office, Pius X formally condemned 65 propositions, mainly drawn from the works ofAlfred Loisyand concerning the nature of the church,revelation,biblical exegesis, thesacraments, and the divinity of Christ. That was followed by the encyclicalPascendi dominici gregis(or "Feeding the Lords Flock"), which characterized Modernism as the "synthesis of all heresies." Following these, Pius X ordered that all clerics take theAnti-Modernist oath,Sacrorum antistitum. Pius Xs aggressive stance against Modernism caused some disruption within the church. Although only about 40 clerics refused to take the oath, Catholic scholarship with Modernistic tendencies was substantially discouraged. Theologians who wished to pursue lines of inquiry in line with Secularism, Modernism, or Relativism had to stop, or face conflict with the papacy, and possibly evenexcommunication.}

Catechism of Saint Pius X[edit]

Gala Berlin with throne produced in Rome by the Casalini brothers, renowned carriage manufacturers, during the papacy of Pius IX, whose coat of arms is painted on both doors. As shown by the emblems of Pius IX and Pius X, painted on the right and left doors respectively, the carriage was used during various pontificates until the beginning of the twentieth century.

In 1905, Pius X in his letterAcerbo nimismandated the existence of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (catechism class) in every parish in the world.^[17]

TheCatechism of Pius Xis his realisation of a simple, plain, brief, popularcatechismfor uniform use throughout the whole world; it was used in the ecclesiastical province of Rome and for some years in other parts of Italy; it was not, however, prescribed for use throughout the universal church.^{[27]The characteristics of Pius X were "simplicity of exposition and depth of content. Also because of this, Pius Xs catechism might have friends in the future."[28][29]The catechism was extolled as a method of religious teaching in his encyclicalAcerbo nimisof April 1905.[30]}

TheCatechism of Saint Pius Xwas issued in 1908 in Italian, asCatechismo della dottrina Cristiana, Pubblicato per Ordine del Sommo Pontifice San Pio X. An English translation runs to more than 115 pages.^[31]

Asked in 2003 whether the almost 100-year-oldCatechism of Saint Pius Xwas still valid, CardinalJoseph Ratzingersaid: "The faith as such is always the same. Hence the Catechism of Saint Pius X always preserves its value. Whereas ways of transmitting the contents of the faith can change instead. And hence one may wonder whether the Catechism of Saint Pius X can in that sense still be considered valid today."^[29]

Reform of canon law[edit]

Canon law in the Catholic Churchvaried from region to region with no overall prescriptions. On 19 March 1904, Pope Pius X named a commission of cardinals to draft a universal set of laws. Two of his successors worked in the commission: Giacomo della Chiesa, who becamePope Benedict XV, and Eugenio Pacelli, who becamePope Pius XII. This firstCode of Canon Lawwas promulgated by Benedict XV on 27 May 1917, with an effective date of 19 May 1918,^{[32]and remained in effect until Advent 1983.[33]}

Reform of Church administration[edit]

Pius X reformed theRoman Curiawith the constitutionSapienti consilioand specified new rules enforcing a bishops oversight of seminaries in the encyclicalPieni lanimo. He established regional seminaries (closing some smaller ones), and promulgated a new plan of seminary study. He also barred clergy from administering social organizations.

Church policies towards secular governments[edit]

MonsignorEugenio Pacelliat left and Cardinal SecretaryRafael Merry del Valat the signing ceremony of theSerbian concordatduring the pontificate of Pius X, dated 24 June 1914

Pius X reversed the accommodating approach of Leo XIII towards secular governments, appointingRafael Merry del Valas Cardinal Secretary of State (Merry del Val would later have his own cause opened for canonization in 1953, but still has not been beatified^{[17]). When the French presidentÉmile Loubetvisited the Italian monarchVictor Emmanuel III(1900–1946), Pius X, still refusing to accept the annexation of the papal territories by Italy, reproached the French president for the visit and refused to meet him. That led to a diplomatic break with France, and in 1905, France issued aLaw of Separation, whichseparated church and state, and which the Pope denounced. The effect of the separation was the churchs loss of its government funding in France. Two French bishops were removed by the Vatican for recognising theThird Republic. Eventually, France expelled theJesuitsand broke off diplomatic relations with the Vatican.}

The Pope adopted a similar position toward secular governments in other parts of the world: in Portugal, Ireland, Poland, Ethiopia, and a number of other states with large Catholic populations. His actions and statements against international relations with Italy angered the secular powers of these countries, as well as a few others, like the UK and Russia. InUlster, Protestants were increasingly worried that a proposedHome RuleIreland run by Catholics inspired by Pius X would result inRome Rule.

In 1908, the papal decreeNe Temerecame into effect which complicatedmixed marriages. Marriages not performed by a Catholic priest were declared legal but sacramentally invalid, worrying some Protestants that the church would counsel separation for couples married in a Protestant church or by civil service.^{[34]Priests were given discretion to refuse to perform mixed marriages or lay conditions upon them, commonly including a requirement that the children be raised Catholic. The decree proved particularly divisive in Ireland, which has a large Protestant minority, contributing indirectly to the subsequent political conflict there and requiring debates in theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom.[35]}

As secular authority challenged that of the papacy, Pius X became more aggressive. He suspended theOpera dei Congressi, which coordinated the work of Catholic associations in Italy, as well as condemningLe Sillon, a French social movement that tried to reconcile the church with liberal political views. He also opposedtrade unionsthat were not exclusively Catholic.

Pius X partially lifted decrees prohibiting Italian Catholics from voting, but he never recognised the Italian government.

Relations with the Kingdom of Italy[edit]

Initially, Pius maintained hisprisoner in the Vaticanstance, but with the rise of socialism he began to allow theNon Expeditto be relaxed. In 1905, he authorized bishops in hisencyclicalIl fermo proposito[de;it;la]to offer a dispensation allowing their parishioners to exercise their legislative rights when "the supreme good of society" was at stake.^[36]

Relations with Poland and Russia[edit]

Under Pius X, the traditionally difficult situation of Polish Catholics in Russia did not improve. AlthoughNicholas II of Russiaissued a decree 22 February 1903, promising religious freedom for the Catholic Church, and, in 1905, promulgated a constitution which included religious freedom,^{[37]theRussian Orthodox Churchfelt threatened and insisted on stiff interpretations.Papal decreeswere not permitted and contacts with the Vatican remained outlawed.}

Activities for the United States[edit]

In 1908, Pius X lifted the United States out of its missionary status, in recognition of the growth of the American church.^{[17]Fifteen new dioceses were created in the US during his pontificate, and he named two American cardinals. He was very popular among American Catholics, partly due to his poor background, which made him appear to them as an ordinary person who was on the papal throne.[17]}

In 1910, the pope refused an audience with formerVice-PresidentCharles W. Fairbanks, who had addressed theMethodistassociation in Rome, as well as with formerPresidentTheodore Roosevelt, who intended to address the same association.^[17][38]

On 8 July 1914, Pope Pius X approved the request ofCardinalJames Gibbonsto invoke thepatronage of the Immaculate Conceptionfor the construction site of theNational Shrine of the Immaculate ConceptioninWashington, DC.^{[citation needed]}

Miracles during the popes lifetime[edit]

Other than the stories of miracles performed through the popes intercession after his death, there are also stories of miracles performed by the pope during his lifetime. On one occasion, during a papal audience, Pius X was holding a paralyzed child who wriggled free from his arms and then ran around the room. On another occasion, a couple (who had made confession to him while he was bishop of Mantua) with a two-year-old child with meningitis wrote to the pope and Pius X then wrote back to them to hope and pray. Two days later, the child was cured.^[17]

CardinalErnesto Ruffini(later the Archbishop of Palermo) had visited the pope after Ruffini was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and the pope had told him to go back to the seminary and that he would be fine. Ruffini gave this story to the investigators of the pontiffs cause for canonization.^[17]

Other activities[edit]