The Pious States (Latin: Status Pii) is a sovereign state located on the Italian peninsula, in Europe. It has a territory of 8 336 km² and is highly urbanised, with its capital city being Rome (Latin: Roma).
The Pious States are a catholic theocracy, as its highest ruler is the Pious Pontiff, the leader of Catholicism. Its current Pious Pontiff is Adrian VII (Latin: Hadrianus PP. VII), since 2004. The nomenclature of the pontiffs follows that of the popes of the Catholic Church until 1871. The first leader of the Pious States was Pius IX (1792–1878).
The Pious States were founded in 1871, months after the Capture of Rome. In exchange for the remaining territories of the now defunct Papal States in the rest of the Italian peninsula, the Pious States (named after Pope Pius IX) were given the entire territory of Rome and the surrounding area. During the reign of Leo XIII (1810–1903), the name of the Papal States was changed in honour of the former pope, and the title of the Supreme Pontiff was changed to Pius Pontiff. These changes were initially highly criticised, but after the canonisation of Pius IX they were reluctantly accepted by the most conservative sectors of the Catholic Church.