Editing Pope Pius X (section)

==Papal election of 1903==
{{Main|1903 papal conclave}}
[[File:HabemuspapmLuigiMacchi.jpg|thumb|right|Cardinal [[Luigi Macchi]] [[Habemus Papam|announces the election]] of Sarto as Pope Pius X.]]

Leo XIII died 20 July 1903, and at the end of that month the [[Papal Election|conclave]] convened to elect his successor. Before the conclave, Sarto had reportedly said, "rather dead than pope", when people discussed his chances for election. In one of the meetings held just before the conclave, Cardinal [[Victor-Lucien-Sulpice Lécot]] spoke with Sarto in French, however, Sarto replied in Latin, "I'm afraid I do not speak French". Lécot replied, "But if Your Eminence does not speak French you have no chance of being elected because the pope must speak French", to which Sarto said, "Deo Gratias! I have no desire to be pope".<ref name="SPX" />

According to historians, the favorite was the late pope's [[Cardinal Secretary of State|secretary of state]], Cardinal [[Mariano Rampolla]]. On the first ballot, Rampolla received 24 votes, Gotti had 17 votes, and Sarto 5 votes. On the second ballot, Rampolla had gained five votes, as did Sarto. The next day, it seemed that Rampolla would be elected. However, the Polish Cardinal [[Jan Puzyna de Kosielsko]] from [[Archbishop of Kraków|Kraków]], in the name of Emperor [[Franz Josef I of Austria|Franz Joseph]] (1848–1916) of [[Austria-Hungary]], proclaimed a veto (''[[jus exclusivae]]'') against Rampolla's election.<ref name="Bingham">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/10872950/Secret-Conclave-papers-show-how-Saint-Pius-X-was-not-meant-to-become-Pope.html Bingham, John. "Secret Conclave papers show how Saint Pius X was not meant to become Pope", ''The Telegraph'', 4 June 2014]</ref> Many in the conclave protested, and it was even suggested to disregard the veto.

However, the third vote had already begun, resulting in no clear winner but increasing support for Sarto, with 21 votes. The fourth vote showed Rampolla with 30 votes and Sarto with 24. It seemed clear that the cardinals were moving toward Sarto.

The following morning, the fifth vote gave Rampolla 10 votes, Gotti 2, and Sarto 50.<ref>{{cite book| last1=Pham| first1=John-Peter| title=Heirs of the Fisherman: Behind the Scenes of Papal Death and Succession|date=2004 |publisher= Oxford University Press|url=https://archive.org/details/heirsoffisherman00pham| url-access=registration|access-date=17 November 2017| isbn=9780199334827}}</ref>{{sfn|Schmidlin|de Waal|1904|pp=186ff}} Thus, on 4 August 1903, Sarto was elected to the pontificate. This marked the last known exercise of a papal veto by a Catholic monarch.

At first, it is reported, Sarto declined the nomination, feeling unworthy. He had been deeply saddened by the Austro-Hungarian veto and vowed to rescind these powers and [[Excommunication|excommunicate]] anyone who communicated such a veto during a conclave.<ref name="Bingham" /> With the cardinals asking him to reconsider, he went into solitude in the [[Cappella Paolina|Pauline Chapel]], and after deep prayer he accepted the position. Cardinal [[Luigi Macchi]] announced Sarto's election at around 12:10pm.

Sarto took as his papal name Pius X, out of respect for his recent predecessors of the same name, particularly [[Pope Pius IX]] (1846–1878), who had fought against theological liberals and for papal supremacy. He explained: "As I shall suffer, I shall take the name of those Popes who also suffered".<ref name="SPC" /> Pius X's traditional [[papal coronation|coronation]] took place the following Sunday, 9 August 1903. As pope, he became ex officio [[Grand Masters and Lieutenancies of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre|Grand Master]] of the [[Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem]], [[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith|prefect of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office]], and [[Congregation for Bishops|prefect of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation]].