Pope St. Pius X and the Coronavirus

[ioannes_pius]

Greetings. I hope everyone is doing well.

I’ve been reading a book by F.A. Forbes lately called Pope St. Pius X, which discusses the life of this wonderful Saint. It contains some interesting information about St. Pius while he was a Curate and Parish Priest which is relevant to the situation in which we currently find ourselves:

In 1873 there was a serious outbreak of cholera. The people of Salzano knew little of hygiene and less of sanitation; it was hard to make them take the most necessary precautions. Don Giuseppe [St. Pius] was everything at once: doctor, nurse and sanitary inspector, as well as parish priest…For fear of infection, the dead had to be buried by night, and no one was allowed to attend the funeral…Not only did he [Don Giuseppe] say the prayers and carry out the rites prescribed by the Church, but would take his place as coffin bearer, and even helped to dig the graves. (p. 20-21, my emphasis)

Glorious St. Pius X, may you always be an example to our priests, especially in this difficult time, and may you always intercede for us! Amen.