Papal Tombs and Monuments (1800-2005) Part VII

Pope St Pius X

His Eminence Giuseppe Melchiorre Cardinal Sarto, Cardinal Priest of San Bernardo alle Terme, Patriarch of Venice. Elected Bishop of Rome on 4 August 1903 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Pius X.

Pope Pius X died on 20 August 1914 in Rome. He was buried on 23 August in the Grottoes of the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica. He was beatified on 3 June 1951, and canonized on 29 May 1954 by Pope Pius XII. His mortal remains were transferred on 17 February 1952 to the altar of the Chapel of the Presentation of the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica.

The image above shows Pope St Pius X's original tomb in the Grottoes of the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica. The image below shows the current tomb in the Presentation Chapel of the same Basilica. The face and hands are covered with silver.

The monument to Pope St. Pius X was planned by the architect Florestano Di Fausto and carved by the sculptor Pietro Astorri in 1923.