Saint Pius V, born Antonio Michele Ghislieri in 1504 at Bosco, near Alessandria in northern Italy, came from humble and devout parents. From a young age, he displayed remarkable piety and intellectual gifts. At age fifteen, he entered the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), taking the religious name Michael. As a Dominican friar, he lived a life marked by austerity, study, and zealous preaching, with a special devotion to the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
His wisdom and sanctity quickly became known. He taught philosophy and theology, served as a prior and inquisitor of heresies, and was eventually made Bishop of Sutri and Cardinal by Pope Paul IV. In all these offices, he upheld the Catholic Faith with unwavering firmness and lived according to the highest standards of clerical and monastic discipline.
Pope and Reformer
In 1566, after the death of Pope Pius IV, Ghislieri was elected Pope and took the name Pius V. His pontificate lasted only six years, but its impact on the life of the Church was profound and enduring.
He immediately began the rigorous implementation of the Council of Trent’s decrees. He reformed the Roman Curia, enforced clerical celibacy and discipline, and worked tirelessly to correct abuses within the Church. He standardized the Roman Missal, publishing the Tridentine Mass (Missale Romanum) in 1570—an action that would define the Roman Rite for over four centuries.
Pius V was a man of deep prayer and mortification. Despite being Pope, he continued to wear his Dominican habit and lived simply. His personal holiness inspired reverence even from his adversaries.
Defender of Christendom
His most famous political and military action was the formation of the Holy League—an alliance of Catholic states to defend Europe against the encroaching Ottoman Empire. This led to the famous Battle of Lepanto in 1571, where Christian forces won a decisive victory against the Muslim fleet.
Saint Pius V attributed the triumph to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and he had called upon all of Christendom to pray the Rosary for victory. In thanksgiving, he instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory, later known as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, celebrated on October 7.
Death and Canonization
St. Pius V died peacefully on May 1, 1572, and his feast is traditionally kept on May 5. His body lies incorrupt in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. He was canonized by Pope Clement XI in 1712.
Legacy
Saint Pius V is remembered as a model of papal integrity and fortitude, a guardian of orthodoxy, and a saint of action and contemplation. His love for the Church, commitment to the truth, and devotion to Our Lady make him a towering figure in the history of Catholic sanctity.