Cardinal Antonio Michele Ghislieri ascended the papacy of the Catholic Church when it was beset with problems. Elected as Pope Pius V in 1559, he was one of the leaders who saved the church from ruin during the Catholic Counter Reformation. It was an era when the Council of Trent (1545-1563) met to define the Catholic faith’s distinction from the Protestant theology and introduced reforms to curb the abuses of the church.
There was also the problem on the spread of Protestantism and the threat of invasion from the Turks.
Battle of Lepanto
The new pope faced many challenges as soon as he became pope. Europe and the Catholic Church were threatened with the invasion of Islamic forces, a great concern for the pope.
Alarmed, he prayed for enlightenment, called all European leaders to unite, formed the Holy League, gave every soldier a rosary and requested the entire population of Europe to pray the rosary. The 208 ships with all men armed with rosaries sailed off from the Sicilian port of Messina on September 16, 1571.
Stopping at Corfu, they were horrified to witness desecrated churches. Hundreds were murdered and boys were captured and sold in slave markets of Turkey.
In Famagusta City, residents were massacred and the Bragadino brave commander was flayed alive and his corpse dragged throughout the city.
In the morning of October 7 the winds favored the Turkish fleet anchored in the gulf of Corinth, blowing the ships forward against the Holy Army. But the wind shifted, and hand-to-hand fighting in decks complimented arrows and cannon fires. At sunset the battle was over. About 8,000 Christians died, 16,000 soldiers were wounded and a dozen ships destroyed.
Approximately, the Turks suffered the same numbers of casualties, 50 ships sunk and 117 were captured. The victory of the Holy League was credited by the pope to the intercession of the Blessed Mother, which ended major attacks on the Mediterranean.
Spiritually purposeful
Pope Pius V was born in Bosco Marengo in Piedmont, Northern Italy in 1504. At the age of 14 he received a Dominican habit and was a model of religious perfection.
At the age of 24, he was ordained in Bologna. For 16 years, he taught philosophy and theology. He distinguished himself as a holy novice, a master of various houses of the Order of the Preachers.
Described as a religious of solid piety, austere self-discipline and long hours of prayers, he travelled “on foot in silence and without cloak” in mission works.
In 1556 he was appointed bishop, and two years after, as cardinal and Inquisitor General of the entire Catholic World.
In this capacity, he refused the approval of the appointment of a 13-year-old Medici to the College of Cardinals. Too, he vehemently disapproved the efforts of Emperor Maximilian II to abolish ecclesiastical celibacy.
On January 7, 1566 he was consecrated pope through the influence of Saint Charles Borromeo. The myriad papal responsibilities did not deter him from self-renewing efforts. He still fasted rigorously and stripped the self of papal privileges and luxuries. He continued to care for the sick himself and often visited hospitals.
And so his challenge to reform the church did not turn to deaf ears when the time came to do so. He walked his talk. The church leaders, as well as the people, saw his holiness.
Church reforms
During his reign bishops were required to establish diocesan seminaries, while cardinals were urged to curb their luxurious lifestyle.The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine was established for young people and Roman catechism was taught.
An authorized and critical edition of the works of Saint Thomas of Aquinas was published, and his Summa Theologica was required as the basic text for theology. The pope declared Saint Thomas Aquinas as doctor of the church.
A New Missal was introduced. To the Mass, “Domine non-sum dignus [Lord I am not worthy]”, the “Confiteor [I confess]” and the blessing were added. Church music and liturgical worship were reformed.
A new Breviary, containing the official and public prayer of the church, known as Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office, were also published. Considered as a champion of faith, he stopped corruption and nepotism in the Roman Curia. He stopped simony—the buying and selling of ecclesiastical privileges like sacraments and relics because it is a violation of the honor due God and the things of God.
In the political scene, in his desire to curtail the spread of Lutheranism, he came in conflict with Emperor Maximilian II. His support to Mary Stuart led Queen Elizabeth I to persecute Catholics in England. However, he was successful in forming alliances with Spain and Venice, countries which supported him in the Battle of Lepanto.
He died on May 1, 1572, at the age of 68. He was beatified on May 10, 1672, and canonized by Pope Clement XI on May 22, 1712.
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Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education-National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons