Religion: Pope of the Poor

Born Joseph Sarto, a poor man's son, Pope Pius X reigned as pontiff for eleven years, died in 1914. He was the hero of countless warmly human stories. One told how he got to Rome to be elected Pope. Having given away all his money to the poor of Venice, he applied to the Catholic banks for a travel loan, but was turned down as a poor risk. Finally a Jewish admirer lent him the money for the journey, but Cardinal-Patriarch Sarto was so certain he would not be elected Pope that he bought a round-trip ticket. When he died he...

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