Pope Pius X died August 20, 1914 It was on that day the people of Rome unanimously
exclaimed: "E morto un santo - A saint has died." As so often the voice of the
people was the voice of God. Christendom recalled in many ways the sanctity of this
pontiff of luminous faith and compassionate humility.
The Paris paper, " Les Temps," described the popular manifestation of devotion
"At Rome there have been other occasions when religious functions were touching but
never was there seen so impressive a spectacle as the surging movements and the
exclamations of the immense crowd, composed of people of every class and party, acclaiming
the pope who had just died. The populace, with its instinctive prophetic touch, had
proclaimed him a saint."
And in London the "Times" said: ' All who love sincere sanctity will unite
themselves with the Catholic Church which mourns in Pius X the loss of a saintly priest,
an able bishop, and a great pope."
The Roman press to gave much space the pope: "Pius X has made the figure of St.
Francis of Assisi live again in our midst - history will record him as a great pontiff but
the Church will make him a saint."
His reputation for sanctity was already growing and spreading, now that he himself was not around to prevent it. To a lady who once
had said, "They say Your Holiness is a saint who performs miracles," he had
replied: "You must not mix up the alphabet - I am SaRto, not SaNto." But now the
faithful gathered at his tomb were raising the cry: "Saint Pius X. pray for us!"
it was a prayer which would reach throughout the whole Catholic world.
People were calling upon his name now more than ever. Little snips of his clothing,
flowers, images and rosaries, vwhich had been touched to his tomb, became vehicles of
grace, protection, and healing. Just as the touch of Christ's robe or the shadow of St,
Peter brought instant healing to the sick, so now relics of Pius X did likewias, and often
enough contradict the physicians' verdict of hopeless.
Throughout his life reports of miraculus healings and prophetic words followed him. After
his death the reports continued along with demands from the people for the Church to
declare him a saint.
The beautification of Pope Pius X took place on June 3. 1951. Soon after the
beautification petitions from all over the world streamed into the Vatican, begging the
pope to proceed to the cannonization of Pius X. The answer to these requests was the papal
decree on November 24, 1951, authorizing the congregation of the Rites to reassume the
process of Pope Pius X.
The investigation and confirmation of miracles completed, Pope Pius X was solemnly
proclaimed a saint on May 29, 1954.
The emperors and the kings will pass, the dictators and the generals and people will
remember their names only when they open a book. But men like Pius X can never be
forgotten for such men are the saints of God.
