Papal Tombs and Monuments (1800-2005) Part IX

Pope Pius XI

His Eminence Achille Cardinal Ratti, Cardinal Priest of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti, Archbishop of Milan. Elected Bishop of Rome on 6 February 1922 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Pius XI.

Pope Pius XI died on 10 February 1939 in the Vatican. He was buried on 14 February in the Grottoes of the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica.

The photograph above shows the original monument to Pope Pius XI. Executed by Pietro Canonica, it was deemed unsuitable and was replaced by a second monument (shown below), executed by Francesco Nagni in 1949. The Canonica monument can now be seen in the Lateran Palace.