CrucisPope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII was born Barnaba Chiaramonti on 14 August 1742 at Cesena in Italy and became a Benedictine monk before his ordination as bishop and cardinal. Elected pope in 1800 amid the ruins left by the French Revolution, he set himself to rebuild the Church's life, and in 1801 he concluded a Concordat with Napoleon that restored the practice of the Catholic faith in France.
But his dealings with Napoleon soon turned to conflict. Though he traveled to Paris to crown him in 1804, the emperor's ambition led him to annex the Papal States, and when the pope resisted and excommunicated the aggressors, Napoleon had him arrested and held prisoner for some five years, during which Pius bore his captivity with patient dignity and refused to yield the Church's rights. With Napoleon's fall he returned in triumph to Rome in 1814. That same year he restored the Society of Jesus, which had been suppressed, and he fostered a great revival of Catholic life. He died in Rome on 20 August 1823.
Selected quotes
“Be steadfast and gentle, immovable in truth yet tender in charity; this is the strength that overcomes the world.”
“We forgive those who have wronged us, for the heart that imitates the mercy of Christ on the Cross holds no place for revenge.”
“The Church is restored not by the strength of men but by the faithfulness of God, who raises her up after every fall.”