Pope St. Pius V: Feast Day, Patronage & Prayers
Feast day: April 30 (optional memorial)
Patron of: No widely recognized patronage; remembered especially for the feast of the Rosary.
About Pope St. Pius V
Michele Ghislieri was born in 1504 in Bosco, in northern Italy, to a poor family, and worked as a shepherd before joining the Dominicans at fourteen. He became a respected teacher of theology, a bishop, and a cardinal, known for his austerity and strict devotion to duty. In 1566 he was elected pope and took the name Pius V, continuing to wear his white Dominican habit, which is why popes still dress in white.
His great task was putting into practice the reforms of the Council of Trent. He published the Roman Catechism, reformed the Breviary, and in 1570 issued the Roman Missal that remained the standard for the Latin rite for four centuries. He lived simply, visited the sick, and reformed the papal court. When the Ottoman fleet threatened Europe, he organized the Holy League and asked Christians everywhere to pray the Rosary. After the victory at Lepanto on October 7, 1571, he established a feast of Our Lady of Victory, now Our Lady of the Rosary. He died in 1572 and was canonized in 1712.
Prayers to Pope St. Pius V on Daily Catholic Prayers
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