Pope Pius IX (b. 1792; r. 1846–78)

Pope Pius IX (born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti) is the longest reigning pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. This medal celebrates his re-consecration of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on September 10, 1854. The basilica, one of the most important for the Catholic Church, is the second largest papal basilica after St. Peter's. Destroyed in a fire in 1823, the building was rebuilt during the nineteenth century following the designs of architect Luigi Poletti (1792–1869).

Source: Scher, Stephen K., et al. The Scher Collection of Commemorative Medals. New York and London, 2019.