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Row over sainthood of Nazi-era pope intensifies By News Agencies Making Nazi-era Pope Pius XII a saint could open a "wound difficult to heal" between Jews and Catholics, a top Italian Jewish leader said yesterday. Pius, who reigned from 1939 until his death in 1958, has been accused by some Jews of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust during World War II, a charge his supporters and the Vatican deny. The Vatican has called on both Catholics and Jews to stop putting pressure on Pope Benedict over the issue. Italian newspapers yesterday ran front-page stories about what some called a new chill in relations between Israel and the Vatican over Pius, sparked by comments from a priest who is a key promoter of sainthood for Pius. Advertisement "At issue is whether Benedict should let Pius proceed on the road to sainthood - which Catholic supporters want - by signing a decree recognizing his "heroic virtues." This would clear the way for beatification, the last step before sainthood. Benedict has so far not signed the decree - approved last year by the Vatican's saint-making department, opting instead for what the Vatican has called a period of reflection. Some Jews want the procedure frozen until more historical research can be done about the period, with many saying Pius should have spoken out more directly. Amos Luzzatto, president emeritus of Italy's Jewish communities, told La Repubblica newspaper that Hungarian, Danish and Bulgarian leaders spoke out openly against the deportation of Jews during the war and Pius should have done the same. "I ask myself why Pius didn't do the same thing to call European Catholics to action. These are questions that haunt us Jews," he said. "So if they want to beatify (Pius) before clearing up all doubts about his silence, they are free to do it. But the Vatican should know that for the Jewish world, this would open up a wound that will be difficult to heal," he said. The Vatican says while Pius did not speak out, he worked behind the scenes to help because direct intervention would have worsened the situation by prompting retaliations by Hitler. Benedict has repeatedly defended Pius, saying he worked "secretly and silently" during World War Two to "avoid the worst and save the greatest number of Jews possible." Peres urges papal visit Meanwhile President Shimon Peres yesterday urged the Vaticano not to let a contentious reference to Pope Pius XII stand in the way of a visit to the Holy Land by the present pontiff. A caption accompanying a photograph on display at Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial alleges Pius did not act to save Jews from the Nazi genocide. A Catholic official promoting the sainthood cause for Pius says the caption is an obstacle to a visit by Pope Benedict XVI. But a spokesman for Benedict said Saturday that although no visit was currently planned, the spat with Yad Vashem would not be the deciding factor. Peres yesterday stood by Israeli criticism of Pius but told reporters the issue should not be a barrier to a trip by Benedict. "We have reason to believe that Pius XII didn't do enough to save Jewish life, I don't want to pass judgment. If there is evidence then it should be checked carefully," Peres said in English. "The visit to the holy country is nothing to do with anger or disputes. It's holy all the time, it is holy for all of us." Benedict has a long-standing invitation from Israel for a visit. The Holy See and Israel established diplomatic relations in the early 1990s, but they must still resolve the status of expropriated church property, tax exemptions for the Church and permits for Arab Christian clergy traveling to and around the West Bank. The late John Paul II visited Israel in 2000. The Vatican has asked authorities at the Holocaust memorial to make a new, objective and in-depth review of the caption, which says Pius did not use the weight of his office to try and halt the activities of the Nazi death camps. "While the (gas) ovens were fed by day and by night, the most Holy Father who dwells in Rome did not leave his palace," the caption states. About six million Jews were killed by the Nazis and their accomplices during the war. Yad Vashem said in a statement that a papal visit is strictly a political matter and the museum display has no bearing. "Pope Pius XII's activity during the Holocaust is an issue debated among historians throughout the world," the museum said. "The presentation of the subject in the Holocaust History Museum at Yad Vashem is based on the best research regarding this topic." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Saudi peace plan Barak says it may be time to pursue an overall peace deal for the region. Wiesel on Ahmadinejad Nobel laureate says president's UN speech shows world hasn't learned from Holocaust.

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