Editing Pope Pius X (section)

==Early life and ministry==
[[File:Our_Lady_of_Confidence.jpg|thumb|The Marian image of [[Our Lady of Confidence]], for whom Pius X had a religious devotion. The [[Basilica of Saint John Lateran]].]]

Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto was born in [[Riese Pio X|Riese]], [[Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia]], [[Austrian Empire]] (now in the [[province of Treviso]], [[Veneto]], [[Italy]]), in 1835. He was the second born of ten children of Giovanni Battista Sarto (1792–1852), the village [[postman]], and Margherita Sanson (1813–1894). He was baptised 3 June 1835. Though poor, his parents valued education, and Giuseppe walked {{convert|6|km|mi}} to school each day.

Giuseppe had three brothers and six sisters: Giuseppe Sarto (born 1834; died after six days), Angelo Sarto (1837–1916), Teresa Parolin-Sarto (1839–1920), Rosa Sarto (1841–1913), Antonia Dei Bei-Sarto (1843–1917), Maria Sarto (1846–1930), Lucia Boschin-Sarto (1848–1924), Anna Sarto (1850–1926), Pietro Sarto (born 1852; died after six months).<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=00055r|title=Pope Pius X|publisher=Greenspun|access-date=23 June 2013}}</ref> As Pope, he rejected any kind of favours for his family: his brother remained a postal clerk, his favourite nephew stayed on as village priest, and his three single sisters lived together in humble circumstances in Rome.

Giuseppe, nicknamed as "Bepi" by his mother, had so much natural exuberance that his teacher often had to cane his backside. Despite this, he was an excellent student who focused on homework before hobbies or recreations. In the evenings after sports or games with friends, he would spend ten minutes in prayer before returning home.<ref name=SPX>{{cite web|url=https://sspx.com.au/en/news-events/news/feast-pope-st-pius-x-6-giuseppe-melchior-sarto-future-pope-59903|title=The Feast of Pope St. Pius X (#6) - Giuseppe Melchior Sarto, the Future Pope|publisher=[[Society of Saint Pius X]]|author=|work=District of Australia and New Zealand |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326030253/https://sspx.com.au/en/news-events/news/feast-pope-st-pius-x-6-giuseppe-melchior-sarto-future-pope-59903|archive-date=26 March 2023|date=1 September 2020|accessdate=22 February 2022}}</ref> He also served as an altar boy. By the age of ten, he had completed the two elementary classes of his village school as well as Latin study with a local priest; henceforth he had to walk four miles to the [[Gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]] in [[Castelfranco Veneto]] for further classes. For the next four years, he would attend Mass before breakfast and his long walk to school. He often carried his shoes to make them last longer. As a poor boy, he was often teased for his meager lunches and shabby clothes but never complained to his teachers.<ref name=SPX/>

In 1850, he received the [[tonsure]] from his parish priest, who wrote to the Cardinal of Venice to secure Sarto a scholarship to the Seminary of [[Padua]], "where he finished his classical, philosophical, and theological studies with distinction".<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Pope Pius X}}</ref>

[[File:Mladý Jozef Sarto - neskorší pápež Pius X..jpg|thumb|A young Giuseppe Sarto]]
On 18 September 1858, Sarto was ordained a priest by [[Giovanni Antonio Farina]], [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Treviso|Bishop of Treviso]] (later canonized), and became a chaplain at [[Tombolo, Veneto|Tombolo]]. While there, Sarto expanded his knowledge of theology, studying [[Thomas Aquinas]] and [[Canon law (Catholic Church)|canon law]], while carrying out most of the functions of the sickly parish priest Constantini. Often, Sarto sought to improve his sermons by the advice of Constantini, who referred to one of his earliest as "rubbish".<ref name=SPX/> In Tombolo, Sarto's reputation for holiness grew so much that some of the people call him "Don Santo".<ref name=SPX/>

In 1867, he was named [[archpriest]] of [[Salzano]]. He restored the local church and expanded the hospital, the funds coming from his own begging, wealth and labour. He won the people's affection when he worked to assist the sick during the [[cholera]] outbreak of the early 1870s. He was appointed a [[canon (priest)|canon]] of the cathedral and [[chancellor]] of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Treviso|Diocese of Treviso]], also acting as spiritual director and [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]] of the Treviso seminary and examiner of the clergy. As chancellor he made it possible for [[Public school (government funded)|public school]] students to receive religious instruction. As a priest and later bishop, he often struggled to bring religious instruction to rural and urban youth who could not attend Catholic schools. At one stage, a large stack of hay caught fire near a cottage, and when Sarto arrived he addressed the frantic people, "Don't be afraid, the fire will be put out and your house will be saved!" At that moment, the flames turned in the other direction, sparing the cottage.<ref name="SPX" /> Despite his many duties, Sarto often made time for an evening walk with children preparing for their [[First Communion]].

In 1879, Bishop [[Federico Maria Zinelli]] died,<ref>David Cheney, [https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bzinelli.html Bishop Federico Maria Zinelli †], catholic-hierarchy.org, accessed 10 October 2021</ref> and Sarto was elected vicar capitular to care for the diocese until the installation of a new bishop in June 1880.
[[File:Biskup Sarto.jpg|thumb|Bishop Giuseppe Sarto]]
After 1880, Sarto taught [[dogmatic theology]] and [[moral theology]] at the [[seminary]] in Treviso. On 10 November 1884, he was appointed [[bishop of Mantua]] by [[Pope Leo XIII]]. He was consecrated six days later in Rome in the church of [[Sant'Apollinare alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrine]], [[Rome]], by Cardinal [[Lucido Parocchi]], assisted by [[Pietro Rota]], and by Giovanni Maria Berengo. He was appointed to the honorary position of [[assistant at the pontifical throne]] on 19 June 1891. Sarto required papal dispensation from Pope Leo XIII before episcopal consecration as he lacked a doctorate,<ref>{{cite web|place=[[United Kingdom|UK]]|url= http://archive.catholicherald.co.uk/article/11th-may-1956/8/the-pope-who-had-no-doctorate|title=The Pope Who Had No Doctorate|website=The Catholic Herald|date=11 May 1956|access-date=23 June 2013}}</ref> making him the last pope without a doctorate until [[Pope Francis]].

When Sarto travelled back to his hometown from Rome after his consecration, he immediately went to visit his mother. There, she repeatedly kissed his ring and said to him: "But you would not have this fine ring, son, if I did not have this", showing him her [[wedding ring]].<ref name=SPX/>