Pope St. Pius V: The Saint Who Preserved the Church’s Beauty in the Storm of Reformation

Fr. Scott Haynes

When the bark of Peter appeared most threatened by the swelling tide of the Reformation, internal corruption, and geopolitical instability, Divine Providence raised up a Dominican friar—ascetically dressed in white, burning with zeal for the purity of the Church, and devoted to prayer and truth. His name was Antonio Ghislieri, and the world would come to know him as Pope St. Pius V (1504–1572), canonized in 1712 by Clement XI and remembered liturgically each year on May 5.

His pontificate (1566–1572) was brief by historical standards, but his legacy remains towering. From implementing the Council of Trent’s decrees to codifying the Roman Missal and Breviary, and from unifying the Church’s pastoral response to the Reformation to interceding for Christendom in the Battle of Lepanto, Pius V’s pontificate was one of action, prayer, and reform. He was not only a theologian and a disciplinarian; he was a father to a wounded Church—one who, like Christ, gave himself for her purification and triumph.

The Friar-Pope

Born on January 17, 1504, near Alessandria in northern Italy, Antonio Ghislieri entered the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) at age fifteen, receiving the religious name Michael. As a friar, he was known for his austere life, profound learning, and unflinching love for the truth. He taught theology, served as prior, and was later appointed Inquisitor in several Italian regions. Though feared by heretics, he was respected even by opponents for his integrity.

He was made a cardinal in 1557 by Pope Paul IV and became Grand Inquisitor—a post he wielded with justice and severity, particularly in rooting out moral and doctrinal laxity. Upon the death of Pope Pius IV in 1565, Ghislieri was elected pope and took the name Pius V, choosing to follow in the reforming footsteps of Pope St. Pius I, a second-century martyr.

Champion of Tridentine Reform

At the time of Pius V’s election, the Church was still reeling from the theological, liturgical, and institutional upheaval unleashed by Martin Luther and other reformers. In response, the Council of Trent (1545–1563) had offered a bold and authoritative reaffirmation of Catholic doctrine and discipline. But now came the harder part—implementation. It fell to Pope Pius V to turn Tridentine doctrine into lived Catholicism.

1. Reforming the Clergy

One of his foremost tasks was to implement the Council’s insistence on episcopal and clerical reform. He mandated that bishops reside in their dioceses, uphold strict moral standards, and regularly visit parishes. He encouraged seminaries as required by Trent and personally wrote to bishops and religious superiors, holding them accountable for the souls in their care.

Under his leadership, the Roman Curia was purged of lax and corrupt figures, and new appointments were made based on orthodoxy and holiness. Pius V lived simply himself, continuing to wear his Dominican habit and rejecting opulence. His household became a model of charity and austerity.

2. The Catechism and Liturgy

Pius V firmly believed that liturgy and catechesis were twin pillars for Catholic renewal. In 1566, he oversaw the publication of the Roman Catechism, also known as the Catechism of the Council of Trent. Aimed at parish priests, this catechism offered a clear and systematic presentation of Catholic doctrine and served as a reference for nearly four centuries.

But his most enduring liturgical legacy was the standardization of the Roman Rite.

The Roman Missal (1570)

In accordance with Trent's decree that the liturgy be purified and unified, Pius V promulgated the Missale Romanum in 1570. This Tridentine Mass, as it would come to be called, drew from centuries-old Roman usage and eliminated regional accretions that obscured its clarity and dignity.

He declared that this form of the Mass was to be used universally in the Latin Church unless a rite of at least 200 years’ antiquity was in place (e.g., the Ambrosian or Mozarabic Rites). For four centuries, the Roman Missal of Pius V remained the standard expression of the Latin liturgical tradition.

He also revised and promulgated the Breviary, ensuring that the Divine Office was prayed uniformly and devoutly by clergy and religious around the world.

In doing so, Pius V preserved the Church’s liturgical unity, rooted in tradition and theological clarity. This act was not simply administrative—it was pastoral and theological: he recognized that the Mass forms the heart of the Church's life and the source of grace for the faithful.

As Pope Benedict XVI later reflected in Summorum Pontificum (2007), the Missal of Pius V was “venerated for centuries… and formed countless saints.”

Defender of the True Faith

Pius V was not content merely to reform the Church internally; he also saw it as his duty to defend the Church from external and internal heresies. Though sometimes criticized for his severity, he saw no distinction between doctrinal fidelity and charity for souls.

He excommunicated Elizabeth I of England in 1570 for her persecution of Catholics and her claim to supreme spiritual authority. His papal bull Regnans in Excelsis stated plainly:

“She has seized the kingdom and boldly arrogated to herself supreme authority in both spiritual and temporal matters, while oppressing the faithful.”

This act further endangered English Catholics but also strengthened their witness, leading to generations of martyrs and confessors.

Moreover, Pius V vigorously upheld the doctrine of transubstantiation, the authority of tradition, and the primacy of the Pope, at a time when many Church doctrines were under attack. He supported St. Charles Borromeo, St. Peter Canisius, and the Jesuits, who led the counter-offensive in education and missionary work.

He also championed the cause of saints who embodied reform, such as St. Teresa of Ávila, encouraging her Carmelite renewal.

The Battle of Lepanto: Victory Through the Rosary

Among Pius V’s most dramatic and celebrated actions was his role in uniting the Christian powers of Europe against the advancing threat of the Ottoman Empire. By 1571, the Turks had conquered much of the eastern Mediterranean and posed a direct threat to Christian lands.

Pius V understood that Europe could not afford to remain divided. With patient diplomacy and prayer, he forged the Holy League, an alliance of Spain, Venice, and the Papal States under the command of Don John of Austria.

As the Christian fleet prepared to engage the vastly superior Ottoman navy at Lepanto on October 7, 1571, Pius V called upon all of Christendom to pray the Rosary. He ordered public processions, rosaries, and Masses in Rome and throughout Catholic lands.

Miraculously, the outnumbered Christian forces achieved a decisive victory. It was more than a military success—it was a spiritual triumph.

Pius V credited the victory to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and in thanksgiving, he instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory, later renamed the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This feast remains a testament to the pope's Marian devotion and the power of communal prayer.

As the Christian fleet prevailed, the pope, in Rome hundreds of miles away, reportedly looked up during a meeting and announced:

“Let us set aside business; our great task at this moment is to give thanks to God. The Christian fleet is victorious!”

A Model of Holy Leadership

Pius V was not simply a reformer, diplomat, or liturgist. At his heart, he was a pastor of souls. He began each day with long hours of prayer, celebrated Mass with tears, and lived simply even as pope. He visited the sick, fed the poor, and often walked barefoot in processions. He lived austerely, fasted regularly, and continued the penances he had practiced as a friar.

He loved the poor and the Church with the heart of a true shepherd.

In his encyclical Quo Primum (1570), he revealed his intent behind his liturgical reforms:

“We have judged that it be our duty to entrust this work to learned men... so that the Holy Church of God may sing to God with one voice.”

His death on May 1, 1572, was marked by peace and sanctity. Those near his bedside testified to his final acts of devotion, humility, and prayer. He was canonized on May 22, 1712, and his feast is celebrated on May 5.

His Enduring Legacy

Pope St. Pius V's contributions are numerous and continue to shape the Church today:

Liturgical Unity: The Tridentine Mass remains a powerful expression of Catholic identity, and many Catholics today continue to draw spiritual richness from it.
Doctrinal Fidelity: His defense of Catholic doctrine provided the stability the Church needed in a time of crisis.
Pastoral Reform: His reforms helped rebuild trust in the hierarchy and priesthood.
Prayer and Action: He modeled that the Church is most powerful when it wields both sword and sanctuary, action and adoration.

In our age, when confusion again seems to cloud doctrine, liturgy, and mission, the life of Pius V shines with renewed relevance. His legacy is not mere nostalgia—it is a call to fidelity, clarity, and holiness.

Pope Benedict XVI, writing in 2007, paid tribute to the liturgical clarity begun by Pius V:

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too.”

Conclusion: A Saint for Our Times

As we commemorate Pope St. Pius V on May 5, let us thank God for raising up this Dominican pontiff who reformed the Church, guarded her liturgy, and led the faithful in triumph through one of the most dangerous chapters in her history.

In a world increasingly fragmented and hostile to eternal truths, may we invoke his intercession for holy leadership, doctrinal integrity, and renewed reverence for the Sacred Liturgy.

May the Church never forget the lesson of Pope St. Pius V: that in every crisis, our response must begin with prayer, reform, and fidelity to what is sacred.

“O God, who in thy providence didst raise up Pope Saint Pius V to defend the faith and to renew all things in Christ, grant, through his intercession, that we may be ever faithful to thy truth.” (Collect, Feast of St. Pius V)