His Guardian Angel saved Pope Pius IX.

Pope Pius IX loved telling a story that took place when he was a young boy. He served daily at Holy Mass as altar server. One day he was kneeling at the lowest step at the altar, while the priest was celebrating Holy Mass, suddenly anguish overcame him and he started to worry. He didn’t know why. His heart beat got faster. Looking for help, he looked over to the opposite side of the altar. A young man was there, waving him to come over. Disturbed by this apparition, he didn’t dare to move. But the shining person insistently waved again. So he jumped up and hurried to the other side. The young man disappeared. In the same moment, a heavy statue of a saint fell down from the altar, exactly on that place that the altar boy just had had left.

The Guardian Angel had saved the life of the boy, whom God called later to be the successor of St. Peter: the Holy Father. Often the boy told this story later as priest and bishop and finally as pope, and praised the wonderful guidance of his Guardian Angel. Without the Angel’s help, the boy would have died and never become a great pope!