The Vatican has announced the online release of documents dating back to World War II that describe the relationship between Jews and Pope Pius XII’s aid and efforts to save them from persecution
Newsroom (24/06/2022 17:30, Gaudium Press) Pope Francis has ordered the online publication of Vatican archives about Pope Pius XII and the help this Pontiff gave to Jews during World War II.
The announcement was made by the Vatican Press Office through a note in Italian, English and Hebrew, since the content of the documents is strictly related to the Jewish people.
The patrimony constitutes the series “Jews” of the Historical Archive of the Secretariat of State – Session for the Report with States and International Organizations (ASRS in Italian) and is composed of 170 volumes, equivalent to about 40,000 digital files.
From now on, the files are available online on the site of the State Secretariat’s Historical Archive. So far 70% of the documents are already digitized and accessible to all. The rest of the documents will soon also be made available to the public in digital form.
The Secretariat of State received more than 2700 requests for help during the Nazi persecution of the Jews. Thanks to Pius XII’s help, 800,000 Jews and persecuted people were saved from death. Even so, Pontiff Pius XII is still criticized for not having defended the Jews during the Second War.
In this regard, Pope Francis recalled, in an interview for La Vanguardia newspaper, that “Everything was thrown at poor Pius XII. We must remember that before, however, he was seen as the great defender of the Jews. He hid many in convents in Rome and other Italian cities, and also in the summer residence at Castel Gandolfo,” Pope Francis declared.
Compiled by Teresa Joseph
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