1. Pope Pius IX
By Simone Perrotti

2. Background
Pope Pius IX was born on May 13, 1792 and died on February 7, 1878.
He was born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest reigning elected Pope in Church history, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years.
Pius IX was also the last Pope to rule as the Sovereign of the Papal States, which were absorbed into the newly formed Kingdom of Italy.
He was beatified in 2000.

3. Overview
Pius IX was a very conservative pope, especially after terrorist acts and the 1848 revolutions in Italy, Germany, and France.
Pius IX is paradoxically considered the first modern pope because the papacy grew in importance after the 1870 fall of the Papal States.
Pius IX suffered from epilepsy throughout his life.
His Feast Day is February 7.

4. Early Life and Ministry
Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti was born in Senigallia into the noble family of Girolamo dei conti Ferretti, and was educated at the Piarist College in Volterra and in Rome.
He was a theology student in his hometown of Sinigaglia.
He also worked as an assistant to Pope Pius VII to try and work his way up the religious ladder.

5. Papal Election
The conclave of 1846, following the death of Pope Gregory XVI, took place in an unsettled political climate within Italy; because of this, many foreign Cardinals decided not to attend the conclave as only 46 out of 62 cardinals were present.
Faced with deadlock, liberals and moderates decided to cast their votes for Mastai-Ferretti and by the second day of the conclave, on June 16, 1846, during an evening ballot, Mastai-Ferretti was elected Pope.
Pius IX was crowned on June 21, 1846.

6. Papacy
The election of the liberal Pius IX created much enthusiasm in Europe and elsewhere.
English Protestants celebrated him as a friend of light and a reformer of Europe towards freedom and progress.
As sovereign-ruler of the Papal States, he ruled over 3 million people and conducted diplomatic relations with other states, the most important of which was Italy.

7. Later Years and Death
Since 1868, the Pope was plagued first by facial erysipelas and then by open sores on his legs, but nevertheless, he insisted on celebrating daily Mass. The extraordinary heat of the summer of 1877 worsened the sores to the effect that he had to be carried.
He underwent several painful medical procedures, which he undertook with remarkable patience.
He spent most of his last few weeks in his library, where he received cardinals and held audiences.
Pius IX died one month later on February 7, 1878 of epilepsy which led to a seizure and a sudden heart attack, while praying the rosary with his staff.

8. Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_IX
THE END