Pope Pius IX

Pope Pius IX (, ; May 13, 1792 – February 7, 1878), born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Feretti, was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 256th Pope, from 1846 until his death. "List of Popes,"  Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2011-11-02.  Only Saint Peter himself led the church longer than the 32-year reign of Pius IX.

In 2000, he was beatified, which is a step in the process of naming a saint of the Catholic Church.Stanley, Alessandra.  "Italian Jews Denounce Vatican's Decision to Beatify Pius IX," New York Times. 28 June 2000; retrieved 2013-3-18.

Career
Mastai-Feretti was ordained as a priest in 1819. "Pope Pius IX," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-10-28.

Bishop
Father Mastai-Feretti was named Bishop of Spoleto in 1827.  In 1877, the Golden Jubilee celebrations recalled the 50 years since he was named a bishop. "The Papal Golden Jubilee," New York Times. June 4, 1877; retrieved 2011-10-30.

Cardinal
In 1840, Pope Gregory XVI made Bishop Mastai-Feretti a cardinal.

Pope
Cardinal Mastai-Feretti was elected Pope in 1846; and he took the name Pius IX.

In 1846, Pius IX declared an amnesty for political prisoners.

In 1848 he ordered that the gates to the Jewish ghetto in Rome be knocked down.

Pius formally defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.  "Pius IX 'Recognized'; Step Toward the Beatification of 19th Century Pope Taken," New York Times. November 20, 1956; retrieved 2011-10-30.

Papal States
In 1849, Pius was deposed as the temporal ruler of the Papal States.  As a result of Italian nationalism and the Risorgimento, the Papal States and all of the pope's land outside the Apostolic Palace were seized in 1870 and pope spent his last years a virtual prisoner within the Vatican. 

First Vatican Council
In 1869-1870, Pope Pius brought together the church's bishops and cardinals in a meeting called the Vatican Council (not to be confused with the Second Vatican Council which occured almost a century later)."Vatican Council," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-10-28.    The council defined the dogma of papal infallibility. "Papal Infallibility; What Pius IX. Himself is Credited With Saying," New York Times. August 9, 1871; retrieved 2011-10-30.

Pius died at age 85. "Pius IX," New York Times. February 8, 1878; retrieved 2011-10-30.

After his death
The process of recognizing Pius IX as a saint began in 1907.

The body of Pope Pius IX was exhumed in 1956.<ref> "Body of Pope Pius IX Exhumed in Ceremony," New York Times." October 26, 1956; retrieved 2011-10-30.</ref>  This was part of a ceremony of "recognition".

Preparations for beatification were almost finished in 1962; "Pope Plans October Decree Of Beatification of Pius IX," New York Times. August 22, 1962; retrieved 2011-1101. and they were completed in 1984.

Related pages
 List of popes
 List of popes by length of reign

References

More reading
 Kertazer, David I. (1997). The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara.'' New York: Knopf. ; ;  OCLC 35829023

Other websites


  Catholic Hierarchy, Pope Pius IX
 Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church , Cardinal Mastai-Feretti 

Category:1792 births
Category:1878 deaths
Category:Deaths from epilepsy
Category:Italian popes
Category:Beatified people