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'''Pope Pius IX''' (May 13, 1792-February 7, 1878) - born '''Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti''' -  was the [[Pope]] and leader of the [[Catholic church]] from June 16, 1846 to February 7, 1878 the longest reign in Church history. He convened the [[First Vatican Council]], which declared the Pope was infallible under certain conditions.

'''Pope Pius IX''' (May 13, 1792-February 7, 1878) - born '''Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti''' -  was the [[Pope]] and leader of the [[Catholic church]] from June 16, 1846 to February 7, 1878 the longest reign in Church history. He convened the [[First Vatican Council]], which declared the Pope was infallible under certain conditions.  He encouraged the rapid growth of religiosity among lay people, which strengthened the Church; he especially promoted the cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as symbol of love.

 

 

He began his papacy as a liberal reformer, but quickly reversed directions in 1846-48 because of his inability to reconcile the demands of religious and temporal power. [[Metternich]] in Austria and conservative cardinals, in particular secretary of state Cardinal Pasquale Gizzi (1787-1849), feared a popular uprising, but could not restrain the reforming pope. Pius IX's ambivalent handling of the constitutional issue and his decision not to join a war of Italian national liberation against Austria in April 1848 sparked revolution in the Papal States and drove the pope from Rome.  

He fought [[secularism]] in [[Italy]] and [[France]], and helped the German Catholics defeat the [[Kulturkampf]].  

He fought [[secularism]] in [[Italy]] and [[France]], and helped the German Catholics defeat the [[Kulturkampf]].