Pope St. Pius V - Valletta, Malta
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 35° 53.883 E 014° 30.731
33S E 455977 N 3972750
A monument containing a bust of Pope St. Pius V is located on Republic Street in Great Siege Square west of St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta.
Waymark Code: WMV1QT
Location: Malta
Date Posted: 02/09/2017
Views: 12
A life-size bronze bust of the Pope that encouraged the Knights of St John to build the City of Valletta, Pius V, stands on top of a stone base. Pope Pius V is depicted from the mid chest up. He is wearing an embroidered ecclesiastical robe which is fastened with a string bow. He is wearing a fur lined cap on his head.
The 6' high two-part stone base consists of a large trapezoid atop a smaller trapezoid. The upper trapezoid is inscribed:
SAN PIJU V
PAPA
Saint Pius V
Pope
Pope St. Pius V was born Antonio Ghislieri on January 17, 1504 in Bosco, Duchy of Milan. In 1518 he entered the Dominican Order, taking the name Michele. He was ordained a priest in 1528. He rose in the Roman Catholic hierarchy becoming Bishop of Sutri and Nepi (1556-1557), Cardinal of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (1557-1561), Cardinal of Santa Sabina (1561-1566) and Secretary of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition (1564-1566) before being elected Pope in 1566.
During the papacy of Pope Pius V, Malta was governed by the Knights of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John. After the defeat of the church in the crusades, Malta became an advanced defense position in the central Mediterranean Sea against the Mohammedan ships. Pope Pius V was instrumental is developing the City of Valletta to reinforce this defensive position.
Pope Pius V died on May 1, 1572. he was beatified on May 1, 1672 by Pope Clement X and was canonized on May 22, 1712 by Pope Clement XI.