St. Pius X ...

He was ordained on September 18, 1858, at the cathedral in Castelfranco.  He was named Bishop of Mantua on November 19, 1884.  On June 12, 1893, he was created a cardinal.  Ten years later, August 4, 1903, he was elected Pope and crowned on August 9, 1903.

Throughout his priestly life, the new pope had been directly concerned with the work of a pastor.  Now he continued that same work on a wider scale, concentrating on matters affecting the internal, spiritual life of the faithful.

Because of his numerous decrees regarding the Holy Eucharist, Pius X is known s “Pope of the Eucharist.”  He urged the practice of frequent and daily Communion; he expressed the desire to have children received their first Holy Communion as soon as they reached the age of reason instead of later, as was then customary.

Pius X ordered the restoration of the Gregorian Chant as the official music of the Church. He was also the pontiff responsible for the revival of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.  The old Canon Law owed its existence to Pius X.  He gave repeated instructions on the study and interpretation of Sacred Scripture and, in 1909, he established the Biblical Institute.

His Holiness Pope Pius X died on August 20, 1914.  He was declared Blessed by Pope Pius XII on June 3, 1951. His canonization on May 29, 1954, was one of the highlights of the Marian Year, as he was the first Pope to receive the title of Saint since Pius V in 1712.