# Pope Pius VIII

_Pope of the Catholic Church from 1829 to 1830_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/pope-pius-viii
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Pope Pius VIII (Italian: Pio VIII; born Francesco Saverio Maria Felice Castiglioni; 20 November 1761 – 30 November 1830) was head of the Catholic Church and leader of the Papal States from 31 March 1829 to his death in November 1830.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 20 November 1761 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4443#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Cingoli ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4443#P19))
- **Died:** 30 November 1830 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4443#P570))
- **Place of death:** Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4443#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Papal States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4443#P27))
- **Occupation:** Latin Catholic priest; Catholic bishop ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4443#P106))
- **Education:** Sapienza University of Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4443#P69))
- **Positions held:** Pope (31 March 1829 – 30 November 1830); cardinal (8 March 1816 – 31 March 1829); Roman Catholic Bishop of Cesena (since 8 March 1816); Roman Catholic Bishop of Montalto (delle Marche) (since 11 August 1800) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4443#P39))

## About

His brief papacy witnessed the Catholic Emancipation in the United Kingdom in 1829, which he welcomed, and the July Revolution in France in 1830, which he accepted with reluctance. He is often remembered for his writings on marriages between Catholics and Protestants: in the 1830 brief Litteris altero abhinc, he declared that a marriage could only be properly blessed if proper provisions had been made to ensure the bringing up of children in the Catholic faith. His death less than two years after his election to the papacy led to speculation of possible murder. His pontificate was the shortest in the 19th century.

## Questions

**When was Pope Pius VIII born?**  
Pope Pius VIII was born on 20 November 1761 in Cingoli.

**What positions has Pope Pius VIII held?**  
Positions held by Pope Pius VIII include: Pope (1829–1830); cardinal (1816–1829); Roman Catholic Bishop of Cesena (since 8 March 1816); Roman Catholic Bishop of Montalto (delle Marche) (since 11 August 1800).

**Where did Pope Pius VIII study?**  
Pope Pius VIII was educated at Sapienza University of Rome.

## Related

- [Pope Telesphorus](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-telesphorus)
- [Pope Gregory XIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-gregory-xiii)
- [Pope Clement VII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-clement-vii)
- [Pope Pius I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-pius-i)
- [Pope Boniface I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-boniface-i)
- [Pope Agapetus I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-agapetus-i)
- [Pope Hormisdas](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-hormisdas)
- [Pope Innocent VIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-innocent-viii)
- [Pope Alexander VIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-alexander-viii)
- [Pope Innocent X](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-innocent-x)
- [Pope Benedict XIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-benedict-xiii)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Pope Pius VIII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_VIII) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q4443](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4443) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Ritratto di Papa Pio VIII, by Clemente Alberi.jpg by Clemente Alberi (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ritratto_di_Papa_Pio_VIII,_by_Clemente_Alberi.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Pope Pius VIII, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Ritratto di Papa Pio VIII, by Clemente Alberi.jpg — Clemente Alberi, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Pope Pius VIII". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/pope-pius-viii. Retrieved 5 November 2026.