The Vatican is to open its archives on the wartime papacy of Pius XII, kept secret for decades amid accusations that he turned a blind eye to the Holocaust.
Critics say Pius XII, sometimes labelled “Hitler’s Pope”, knew Nazi Germany was murdering Jews but failed to act. He reigned from 1939 to 1958.
But the Vatican says Pius XII worked behind the scenes to save Jews.
, Shot list of the Fosse Ardeatine, document from the archive of the Holy See for the papacy of Pius XII, at the Vatican as the Vatican Apostolic Library opens the archives on the pontificate of Pope Pius XII between the years 1939 to 1958. EPA-EFE/FABIO FRUSTACI
Dozens of scholars are preparing to pore over the many documents
Pope Francis took the decision a year ago to open up the archives on one of the Roman Catholic Church’s most controversial figures.
Parts of Pius XII’s speech to RAI employees with autograph corrections, document from archive of the Holy See for the papacy of Pius XII, at the Vatican as it opens the archives on the pontificate of Pope Pius XII between the years 1939 to 1958. . EPA-EFE/FABIO FRUSTACI
“The Church is not afraid of history,” the Pope told Vatican researchers.
Pope Francis said the Pius XII papacy was marked by “moments of grave difficulties, tormented decisions of human and Christian prudence, that to some could appear as reticence”.
Bishop Sergio Pagano, prefect of the Vatican’s Apostolic Archives, said the World War Two documents ran into millions of pages, divided into 121 sections according to topic.
