The Saint

by Antonio Fogazzaro

"The Saint" by Antonio Fogazzaro is a novel published in 1905. The final installment of a trilogy follows Piero Maironi, who has transformed into the ascetic monk Benedetto after abandoning his former life. Living among peasants who regard him as a miracle-working saint, he forms a secret group calling for radical church reform. His journey leads him to Rome, where he works among the poor and eventually meets Pope Pius X to plead for spiritual renewal—confronting the formidable forces of institutional resistance.