St Pius X's Inspiring Last Will He Wrote Before He Died

St Pius X, the "Hammer of Modernists", without a doubt, is my favourite 20th-century Pope and one of my favourite Popes in history.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

His profound humility can be clearly seen in what would become his last will and testament, highlighting his virtuous character.

In the history of the Church, there was only one pope canonized between the years of 1712 and 1954. That pope was St. Pius X and the Church did not waste much time in canonizing this holy man.

Many summarize his life of holiness by simply reciting the last will and testament he wrote before he died in 1914:

"I was born poor, I have lived in poverty, and I wish to die poor."

The original inscription on his tombstone also provides a similar summary of his life:

Pope Pius X, poor and yet rich, gentle and humble of heart, unconquerable champion of the Catholic Faith, whose constant endeavor it was to renew all things in Christ.

Born poor and lived in poverty

St. Pius X was born into a poor peasant family and had few comforts while growing-up. While he eventually ascended the ranks of the Catholic Church's hierarchy, his interior disposition remained the same.

Writer Gregory Dipippo translated an Italian video that was created for his canonization, which noted:

His room has remained that of a poor country curate; neither as cardinal nor as Pope did Giuseppe Sarto want to decorate it nicely.

Not only did he maintain a spirit of poverty, but he was also always conscious of the poor during his life.

The Catholic Encyclopedia explains how he helped the poor during his time as a priest:

In 1867 he was named arch-priest of Salzano, a large borough of the Diocese of Treviso, where he restored the church, and provided for the enlargement and maintenance of the hospital by his own means, consistently with his habitual generosity to the poor; he especially distinguished himself by his abnegation during the cholera.

St. Pius X practiced what he preached and felt called to not only be generous to the poor, but to also live as poorly as possible.

He was not concerned about amassing great wealth in this world, or taking advantage of every possible comfort, but simply imitating Jesus Christ.

While many remember St. Pius X for promoting the reception of Holy Communion by children, he was more: a man who lived by his word and wanted to be an example to others.