Svatý Pius X., rodným jménem Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto , byl 257. papežem katolické církve od 4. srpna 1903 až do své smrti. Byl nástupcem Lva XIII., prvním papežem od Pia V., který byl prohlášen za svatého. Během svého pontifikátu zreformoval kurii, církevní právo, liturgickou hudbu a kněžský breviář. Založil úřední tiskový věstník Svatého stolce Acta apostolicae sedis.
V rámci svého učitelského úřadu tvrdě zakročil proti modernismu, který odsoudil jako herezi. Neúprosně postupoval proti modernistům v řadách církevní struktury a zavedl opatření, která měla šíření modernistických názorů bránit. Byl horlivým mariánským ctitelem, což vyjádřil např. v encyklice Ad diem illum, kde popsal své přání skrze Marii „obnovit vše v Kristu“, což si určil jako heslo svého pontifikátu.
Mezi všemi papeži 20. století vynikal velmi velkými pastoračními zkušenostmi a úspěchy. Udílel katecheze, zakládal sociální organizace k mírnění chudoby apod. V této činnosti pokračoval i v době svého pontifikátu, který byl charakteristický mimo jiné i velkou charitativní aktivitou. Zavedl časté přijímání Nejsvětější Svátosti mezi lidmi a umožnil k ní přistupovat i malým dětem. Ty mohly přijímat pod podmínkou, že vědí, čím se liší běžný chléb od chleba svátostného.
Pius X. byl prý neobyčejně laskavý a dobrosrdečný, ke svým protivníkům se ale choval neústupně a přísně. Již za svého života se těšil obrovské oblibě mezi mnoha lidmi a pověsti svatosti. Po jeho smrti pak velké množství peticí posloužilo k uspíšení jeho beatifikačního procesu. Blahořečen byl 3. června 1951 Piem XII., který ho poté 29. května 1954 prohlásil za svatého. Stal se patronem papežského díla, esperantistů a svatého dětství. Jeho svátkem je 21. srpen.
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„V pravdě řečeno, pokud se týká dobročinnosti, nejlepšími křesťany jsou Židé.“
ve funkci biskupa Mantovy na otázku papeže Lva VIII., kdo jsou nejlepší křesťané ve městě
Zdroj: [Dalin, David G., 2005, The myth of Hitler's Pope: how Pope Pius XII rescued Jews from the Nazis, 34, en, 0-89526-034-4]
“I was born poor, I have lived poor, I wish to die poor.”
His last will, as quoted in an obituary in The Maine Catholic Historical Magazine (1914) Volumes 3-6, p. 17
“Hope unites me to my God and Him to me.”
As quoted in Life of Pius X (1918) by Francis Alice Forbes, p. 35
Variant translation: My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His Divine help. I can do all in Him who strengthens me. His Power is infinite, and if I lean on him, it will be mine. His Wisdom is infinite, and if I look to Him counsel, I shall not be deceived. His Goodness is infinite, and if my trust is stayed in Him, I shall not be abandoned.
Kontext: I shall spare myself neither care nor labour nor vigils for the salvation of souls. My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His divine help; I can do all in Him who strengthened me! His power is infinite, and if I lean on Him it will be mine; His wisdom is infinite, and if I look to Him for counsel I shall not be deceived; His goodness is infinite, and if my trust is stayed on Him I shall not be abandoned. Hope unites me to my God and Him to me. Although I know I am not sufficient for the burden, my strength is in Him. For the salvation of others I must bear weariness, face dangers, suffer offences, confront storms, fight against evil. He is my Hope.
“Let the storm rage and the sky darken — not for that shall we be dismayed.”
As quoted in The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Popes and the Papacy (2001) by Brandon Toropov, p. 26
Kontext: Let the storm rage and the sky darken — not for that shall we be dismayed. If we trust as we should in Mary, we shall recognize in her, the Virgin Most Powerful "who with virginal foot did crush the head of the serpent.
As quoted in Life of Pius X (1918) by Francis Alice Forbes, p. 35
Variant translation: My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His Divine help. I can do all in Him who strengthens me. His Power is infinite, and if I lean on him, it will be mine. His Wisdom is infinite, and if I look to Him counsel, I shall not be deceived. His Goodness is infinite, and if my trust is stayed in Him, I shall not be abandoned.
Kontext: I shall spare myself neither care nor labour nor vigils for the salvation of souls. My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His divine help; I can do all in Him who strengthened me! His power is infinite, and if I lean on Him it will be mine; His wisdom is infinite, and if I look to Him for counsel I shall not be deceived; His goodness is infinite, and if my trust is stayed on Him I shall not be abandoned. Hope unites me to my God and Him to me. Although I know I am not sufficient for the burden, my strength is in Him. For the salvation of others I must bear weariness, face dangers, suffer offences, confront storms, fight against evil. He is my Hope.
To Theodor Herzl in a meeting in the Vatican (25 January 1904), quoted in "Catholic Church's long road to accepting Judaism" in The Los Angeles Times (11 May 2009) http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-hier11-2009may11,0,1481965.story, "Jews Can't Take "Yes" for an Answer" (2000) by Harold M. Schulweis http://www.reformjudaismmag.net/900hs.html, and "Theodore Herzl and the Pope" http://ziomania.com/herzl/Theodore%20Herzl%20and%20the%20Pope.htm
"Encyclical Letter of Our Holy Father Pius X" in The American Catholic Quarterly Review, Vol. 29. No. 114 (April 1904) p. 211
As quoted in Quotable Saints (2003) by Ronda Chervin, p. 79
Papal encyclical letter "Pascendi dominici gregis" ("Feeding the Lord's Flock") promulgated by Pope Pius X on 8 September 1907.
Statement prior to World War I, quoted in Biographical profile at Living Water Community http://livingwatercommunity.com/saiints/st%20Pius%20X.htm, and partially in A Treasury of Saints : 100 Saints : Their Lives and Times (2002) by Malcolm Day, and St. Mary's Catholic Church, Dubai http://www.saintmarysdubai.com/stoftheday.asp?id=184
Papal encyclical letter "Une foise encore" http://www.vatican.va/content/pius-x/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-x_enc_06011907_une-fois-encore.html to the French people and clergy on the separation of Church and State, Rome, 6 January 1907.
