Born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto on June 2nd, 1835 in the town of Riese formerly in the Austrian Empire, he remained poor his entire life. He was ordained in 1858, consecrated in 1884, named a Cardinal in 1893, and began his Papacy on August 4th, 1903, passing away on August 20th, 1914.
Two of the most outstanding accomplishments of this saintly Pope were the inauguration of the liturgical renewal and the restoration of frequent communion from childhood. He also waged an unwavering war against the heresy and evils of Modernism, gave great impetus to biblical studies, and brought about the codification of Canon Law. His overriding concern was to renew all things in Christ.
Above all, his holiness shone forth conspicuously. From St. Pius X we learn again that "the folly of the Cross", simplicity of life, and humility of heart are still the highest wisdom and the indispensable conditions of a perfect Christian life, for they are the very source of all apostolic fruitfulness. He was devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, believing that through Her, all things would be restored in Christ.
His last will and testament bears the striking sentence: "I was born poor, I have lived in poverty, and I wish to die poor."
Credits:
Discriptions of saints lives and biographies have been excerpted, summarized, or compiled from
Franciscan Media,
CatholicSaints.Info,
Catholic Online, and
Wikipedia.