Post #5848

From the 14th of April 1561 to the 15th of May 1565 he was presbyter cardinal of Santa Sabina. When Pius IV died, he was elected Pope, against everyone's expectation, on January 7, 1566, but, except for the external dress, he did not change anything in his standard of living. He had incessant zeal for the propagation of the faith, tireless concern for the restoration of ecclesiastical discipline, assiduous vigilance for the eradication of errors, inexhaustible beneficence to meet the needs of the indigent, invincible courage to defend the rights of the Apostolic See. To remedy the evils from which Christianity suffered, Pius V supervised the application of the decrees of the Council of Trent and published a new edition of the Missal (July 14, 1570) and the Breviary (1568). Moreover, he defeated, not so much with weapons as with prayers raised to God, near the Cursolari islands where he had gathered an immense fleet, the Sultan of the Turks, Selim, proud of many victories. And he knew, by divine revelation, this victory the same hour that it was obtained, and he announced it to his relatives (October 7, 1571); and on this occasion he instituted the feast of our Lady of Victories, which was later the feast of the Holy Rosary. While preparing a new expedition against the Turks, he fell seriously ill; and, having patiently suffered very acute pains, having reached extremes, having received the usual Sacraments, most placidly gave his soul back to God, on the 1st of May 1572, at the age of sixty-eight, after having reigned for six years, three months and twenty-four days. His body is venerated by the faithful with great devotion in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, and God has worked many miracles through his intercession. Which legally approved, he was counted by Pope Clement X in the register of the Blessed on April 27, 1672, and by Pope Clement XI in the group of Saints on May 22, 1712.