Pope Pius V

Pope Pius V (Pius V; 17 January 1504 – 1 May 1572), born Antonio Ghislieri and from 1518 called Michele Ghislieri, O.P., was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 226th Pope from 1566 to 1572. He is a saint of the Catholic Church.

Early Life
Antonio Ghislieri was born at Bosco in what is now the province of Alessandria, Piedmont), Italy. As a youth, he entered the Dominican Order, and he took the name Michele.

Priest
Ghislieri was ordained as a priest in 1528.

Bishop
Pope Paul IV made him Bishop of Sutri.

Cardinal
Paul IV raised Ghislieri to the rank of cardinal.

Pope Pius IV (1559–65) made Cardinal Ghislieri the Bishop of Mondovi in Piedmont. When Bishop Ghislieri became a cardinal, he did not replace his white Dominican habit with the red robes which most cardinals wore.

Pope
Cardinal Ghislieri was elected pope on 7 January 1566; and he chose to be called Pius V.

Pope Pius was involved in Italian and European political disputes.

In the context of the Counter-Reformation, this pope supported the Inquisition in Italy.

Pope Pius excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Pius V is credited as the first pope to wear white robes; and since his papacy, white clothing has become traditional.

After his death
Pius V died on 1 May 1572. His tomb is located in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore; and the pope's body was placed in it in 1698.

Saint
Pius V was beatified by Pope Clement X in the year 1672.

Pope Clement XI made Pius a saint on 24 May 1712.

Related pages

 * List of popes

Other websites

 * Catholic Hierarchy, Pope Pius V
 * Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Ghislieri
 * Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Ghislieri