Did Pope Pius IX support the unification of Italy?

Answer 1

A:

Pope Pius IX opposed the unification of Italy, as this reduced the power and wealth of the papacy. Although the Italians placed no restrictions on his movements, he declared himself a "prisoner of the Vatican" in the hope that "the Catholic powers" would come to his rescue, but no help was ever forthcoming.

Since Pius would not deal with his enemies, they unilaterally through the Law of Guarantees tried to regularise the situation. The Law was generous in its provisions which, as compensation for seized properties, included an annual grant of three and a half million lire, which in those days was a lot of money. Pius refused to accept the money, but tacitly went along with other provisions of the Law.

Answer 2

Roman Catholic AnswerNo, all of the popes from the 19th century, including Pope Pius IX refused to leave the Vatican as the Italians were trying to annex the city of Rome for a unified Italy. In the reign of Pope Pius XI in the twentieth Century, there was a concordat signed allowing the Catholic Church to keep the Vatican, itself, while giving up all the Papal States for Italy. The papal states literally cut the kingdom of Italy in half up unto that point.