Pope Pius XI

Pope Pius XI  (Latin: Pius PP. XI; Italian: Pio XI; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939. Son of a silk manufacturer. Studied in Milan and at the Gregorian University of Rome. He issued numerous encyclicals including Quadragesimo Anno, highlighting capitalistic greed of international finance, and social justice issues, and Quas Primas, establishing the feast of Christ the King. He took as his papal motto, "Christ's peace in Christ's kingdom"

Achille Ratti was an accomplished scholar, librarian and priest. He celebrated his 60th birthday as a priest on 31 May 1917. Fewer than five years later, on 6 February 1922, he was elected Pope, succeeding Pope Benedict XV, who was only thirty months older and thus from the same generation as Ratti. He chose the name Pius, and his personality was strong, similar to Pius IX and Pius X. But as a scholar, he was open to science and research like no other Pope since Leo XIII.

He canonized important saints including Albertus Magnus, Thomas More, Petrus Canisius, Konrad von Parzham, Andrew Bobola and Don Bosco. He beatified and canonized Thérèse de Lisieux, for whom he held special reverence. He created the feast Christ the King in response to anti-clericalism. Pius XI took strong interests in fostering the participation of lay people throughout the Church, especially in the Catholic Action movement. The end of his pontificate was dominated by defending the Church from intrusions into Catholic life and education.

Quick Summery

Born	31 May 1857(1857-05-31)Desio, Lombardy-Venetia, Austrian Empire
Birth name	Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti
Died	10 February 1939(1939-02-10) (aged 81)
Papacy began	6 February 1922
Papacy ended	10 February 1939
Predecessor	Benedict XV
Successor	Pius XII
papal motto	“Christ's peace in Christ's kingdom"

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