Blessed pope pius ix biography summary

By ACI Prensa. On Feb. His pontificate is the second longest in history — a total of 31 years, seven months, and 22 days June 16, —Feb. His parents were Don Gerolamo Mastai Ferretti, a member of a local noble and prestigious family, and Donna Caterina Solazzi, who had him baptized on the same day of his birth. In he traveled to Rome to continue the studies he had begun in his native city.

The future pope stopped his studies in because of an illness and was exempted from military service. In he was accepted into the Pontifical Noble Guard but had to abandon the idea because of health problems.

Is pope pius ix a saint

Ferretti suffered from epilepsy from a young age — a condition that eventually subsided and then completely disappeared, according to Ferretti himself, which he credited to the intercession of Our Lady of Loreto. Ferretti began studies for the priesthood in and received minor orders in , the subdiaconate in , and the diaconate in That same year he was ordained a priest.

He celebrated his first Mass in the Church of St. Anne of the Carpenters, of the Tata Giovanni Institute, of which he was appointed rector — a position he held until Ferretti had already left clear evidence of his personality: a man of constant prayer, consecrated to the ministry of the Word and the sacrament of reconciliation, always close to the most humble and needy.

He knew how to combine admirably both the active and contemplative life. Very dedicated to pastoral and social work, he was also recollected and had an intense devotion to the Eucharist and to the Virgin Mary.