PONTIFICAL STATE Pius IX 1 Silver Lira Year XXII 1868 Extra Fine

Pope Pius IX (in Latin: Pius PP. IX, born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; Senigallia, May 13, 1792 – Rome, February 7, 1878) was the 255th bishop of Rome and pope of the Catholic Church and 163rd and last sovereign of the Papal State (1846-1870). His pontificate, of 31 years, 7 months and 23 days, remains the longest in the history of the Catholic Church after that of St. Peter. He was a Franciscan tertiary and was proclaimed blessed in 2000.