Pope Pius X (born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from August 1903 to his death in 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting liturgical reforms and orthodox theology. 

Pius X was known for his overall rigid demeanor and sense of personal poverty [Kühner 1960, p. 183] He frequently gave homily sermons in the pulpit every week, a rare practice at the time. After the 1908 Messina earthquake he filled the Apostolic Palace with refugees, long before the Italian government acted [Kühner 1960, p. 183].

He rejected any kind of favours for his family, to which his close relatives chose to remain in poverty living near Rome [Kühner 1960, p. 183].
