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Saint Pius V
Image: Bartolomeo Passarotti and workshop · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Saint Pius V

The Dominican pope who carried out Trent and built the Holy League of Lepanto

Rank
Saint
Kind
Pope
Life
1504 – 1572
Era
16th century
Feast
30 April
Countries
Italy
Italy

Life story

Antonio Ghislieri was born on 17 January 1504 at Bosco, now Bosco Marengo in Piedmont, Italy. He entered the Dominican order as a teenager and took the name Michele. He taught theology, served as prior of several houses and moved into the work of the Inquisition, becoming bishop of Sutri and Nepi, a cardinal and then bishop of Mondovì.

He was elected pope on 8 January 1566 and took the name Pius V. With the Council of Trent just concluded, his reign focused on carrying out its decisions: the Roman Catechism appeared in 1566, the Roman Breviary in 1568 and the Roman Missal in 1570. He also pressed bishops to reside in their dioceses, tightened clerical discipline and lived austerely even within the papal household. In 1570 he issued a decree excommunicating Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Facing the Ottoman naval threat, he helped bring about the Holy League of Spain, Venice and the Papal States. The allied fleet won the battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571, and he instituted the feast of Our Lady of Victory to mark it. He died in Rome on 1 May 1572. He was beatified in 1672 and canonised on 22 May 1712 under Clement XI. His pontificate lasted six years and was marked by a very simple personal lifestyle. According to tradition he kept wearing the plain white habit of a Dominican, which is said to be the origin of the white papal cassock. He is buried in the Sistine Chapel of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

Works and witness

  • Dominican friar and inquisitor, later a cardinal
  • Elected pope on 8 January 1566
  • Issued the Roman Catechism, Breviary and Missal
  • Helped form the Holy League, victorious at Lepanto on 7 October 1571
  • Canonised in 1712

Saints from the same country

Saint Agnes, Saint Lawrence, Saint Cecilia, Saint Sebastian

References

  • Martyrologium Romanum
  • Catholic Encyclopedia (1907–1912), entry on Pius V
  • Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.