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Holocaust-era Pope Pius XII (AP)
Last update - 00:00 06/11/2008
Vatican: Jewish charges against Nazi-era pope are 'outrageous'
By Reuters
Tags: jewish world, Pope Pius 

Jewish accusations that Nazi-era Pope Pius XII turned a blind eye to the Holocaust are "outrageous" and no one can tell the Vatican whether he should be made a saint, Pope Benedict's deputy said on Thursday.

Some Jews have accused Pius, who reigned from 1939 to 1958, of being indifferent to the Holocaust. The Vatican says he worked silently behind the scenes and helped save many Jews from certain death during World War Two.

"The depictions of Pius XII as indifferent to the fate of the victims of Nazism - Poles and above all Jews and even going as far as saying he was 'Hitler's pope' are first of all outrageous," said Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
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Bertone, who is known as the 'deputy pope' because he ranks only second to Pope Benedict in the Vatican hierarchy, told a conference that such accusations "could not be supported from a historic point of view".

Differences over what Pius did or did not do during the war have haunted Catholic-Jewish relations for decades and conflict has resurfaced over whether Pius should be made a saint.

The Vatican has shown signs of chafing and irritability recently as some Catholics have pushed for the Pope to expedite his sainthood process and some Jews wanted it frozen pending the opening of Holy See archives in about seven years.

Last week a Jewish leader urged the Pope to put the sainthood process on hold and Benedict reportedly said he was "seriously considering" the possibility.

Jewish leaders have called on the Vatican not to make Pius a saint until all doubts about his so-called silence are cleared up, with one saying it would open a "wound difficult to heal."

But Bertone was short with such requests. He said the sainthood process was "a religious matter that must be respected by all (and) the exclusive jurisdiction of the Holy See."

At issue is whether Benedict should let Pius proceed on the road to sainthood - which Catholic supporters want - by signing a decree recognising his "heroic virtues". This would clear the way for beatification, the last step before sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.

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.

The Vatican says while Pius did not speak out against the Holocaust, he worked behind the scenes to help Jews because direct intervention would have worsened the situation by prompting retaliation by Hitler.

In his speech at Rome's Gregorian University, Bertone offered a long defence of Pius, saying that in 1939-1940 he secretly supported a British-German plot to overthrow Hitler.

The Vatican says he saved several hundred thousand Jewish lives by ordering churches and convents throughout Italy to hide Jews and instructing Vatican diplomats in Europe to give Jews false passports.

Bertone defended Pius's lack of public outcry after Nazis occupying Rome massacred 335 men and boys in retaliation for a partisan attack that killed 33 German soldiers.

He said Rome convents were full of refugees, including Jews, and a public denunciation by Pius of the Nazi massacre would have led to "catastrophic" raids on the convents.

Related articles:
  • Jewish delegate to Vatican: Pope ignored request to freeze Pius XII sainthood
  • Vatican defends wartime pope against charge he turned blind eye to Holocaust
  • Israeli official weighs into row with Vatican over Nazi-era pope
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      1.   The Vatican Doesn`t Have Power Over Us Anymore 15:42  |  Yosemite 06/11/08
      2.   Vatican should accuse Israel of abusing the arab minority 15:58  |  Aounist 06/11/08
      3.   Vatican..Pope & Bishops 15:59  |  The Teacher/Instruct 06/11/08
      4.   Faith trumps fact, belief over reason. The Church is still the Ch 16:01  |  David Turner 06/11/08
      5.   if they want, make the crossdresser a saint. What do we care? 16:02  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 06/11/08
      6.   Catholic church 16:13  |  zznhl 06/11/08
      7.   Vatican Rewrites History 16:24  |  Dr. Jonathan Levy 06/11/08
      8.   The whole saints process is ludicrous anyway. 16:34  |  Michael 06/11/08
      9.   Jewish obsession with Catholics 16:35  |  Catholic 06/11/08
      10.   Purile 16:54  |  Brad 06/11/08
      11.   The Dutch Example 16:56  |  Yaakov Sullivan 06/11/08
      12.   Baptism 18:03  |  Serge 06/11/08
      13.   Archives 18:11  |  Serge 06/11/08
      14.   important point 18:56  |  potobac 06/11/08
      15.   Yes, it is the Catholic Church?s business alone to beatify ? 20:04  |  bat yam 06/11/08
      16.   Pope and Vatican, open the WW2 era files for public review 20:28  |  Genuine Tosefta 06/11/08
      17.   If batyam repeats a lie, is it true? 20:42  |  surreal 06/11/08
      18.   Open the archives and settle the issue 22:15  |  AniAshkeloni 06/11/08
      19.   to bat yam #3 `yes...` 22:21  |  Colin Wright 06/11/08
      20.   Any of Pius` wards left? 22:24  |  Catholic 06/11/08
      21.   `Jewish` Accusations? 23:00  |  Charlie Newhammer 06/11/08
      22.   Catholic on the hidden Jews 23:12  |  Yaakov Sullivan 06/11/08
      23.   VATICAN JEWISH CHARGES AGANIST NAZI-ERA POPE ARE OUTR5AGEOUS 23:19  |  mgeraldfried 06/11/08
      24.   As long as they do not call him a tzadik we should let go! 00:02  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 07/11/08
      25.   The Vatican & the Pope 00:28  |  The Teacher/Instruct 07/11/08
      26.   Charles Hapsburg 01:22  |  Dr. Jonathan Levy 07/11/08
      27.   Romans - they crucified Jesus and now this... 01:34  |  17 07/11/08
      28.   We`d still like our stuff back though 02:04  |  Scharker Yid 07/11/08
      29.   an internal vatican matter 02:04  |  Arie 07/11/08
      30.   Crooks, suckers, and lazy cowards. 02:52  |  John Hanks 07/11/08
      31.   For 14 years AFTER WWII--he didn`t speak out 03:59  |  US CITIZEN 07/11/08
      32.   NEWHAMMER #21 05:32  |  joe 07/11/08
      33.   perhaps there was no inquisition either ??? 10:13  |  victor hardman 07/11/08
      34.   The Deputy 10:14  |  Motic 07/11/08
      35.   Benedict 10:18  |  Joseph 07/11/08
      36.   Mutual trust 10:21  |  Avi 07/11/08
      37.   US CITIZEN, AFTER THE WAR HE WASN`T JUST QUIET 11:14  |  Freethinker 07/11/08
      38.   Pius XII 11:46  |  Peter 07/11/08
      39.   The Vatican and today`s anti-Semitism in Europe 12:00  |  Egon B.E. Friberger 07/11/08
      40.   Pius XII is ok 12:08  |  YJK 07/11/08
      41.   Events of 70 years ago 13:33  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/11/08
      42.   american support 16:39  |  bri 07/11/08
      43.   #41 Chris Lithwaite 16:41  |  THK 07/11/08
      44.   #41 Linthwaite - Events of 1000 years ago 17:19  |  * BEN JABO 07/11/08
      45.   Vatican 17:19  |  Gershon Ron 07/11/08
      46.   they`ll only be wounding themselves if they go thru with this 17:20  |  newageblues 07/11/08
      47.   Please read a little more Chris, because... 17:26  |  Israeli citizen 07/11/08
      48.   Freethinker is correct. Here is why. 17:30  |  Barry S. Roffman 07/11/08
      49.   #43 Ben Jabo 17:54  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/11/08
      50.   Very interesting 18:04  |  Gee 07/11/08
      51.   #47 Barry Roffman 18:23  |  THK 07/11/08
      52.   A lot of Bunk 18:38  |  CI 07/11/08
      53.   Vatican, ICRC, and nazi escape from justice 18:56  |  Arie 07/11/08
      54.   How about a World Court subpoena? 20:25  |  AniAshkeloni 07/11/08
      55.   hey folks what do we care? 21:10  |  Goldenberg 07/11/08
      56.   A religious matter? 21:12  |  Kate 07/11/08
      57.   #9 Obsessions? 21:28  |  Kate 07/11/08
      58.   48 Not bunk 23:01  |  * BEN JABO 07/11/08
      59.   What is really outrageous... 23:55  |  tristan 07/11/08
      60.   #35 00:05  |  Jane 08/11/08
      61.   Truth is irrelevant here 00:15  |  W 08/11/08
      62.   Outrageous? what is Outrageous is 00:46  |  Daniel 08/11/08
      63.   Dirk Verhofstadt wrota an extremely good book on this 01:55  |  Edith Legrand 08/11/08
      64.   A Good Anti Semite 02:04  |  Jonathan Levy 08/11/08
      65.   What would Christ say? 02:05  |  THK 08/11/08
      66.   52, open books because of you say so 02:09  |  CI 08/11/08
      67.   #36 This is Jewish business 02:13  |  Edith 08/11/08
      68.   #39 Big ego`s are the problem many times 02:20  |  Edith Legrand 08/11/08
      69.   Insinuating that the Vatican colaboration with the Nazis. 02:26  |  CI 08/11/08
      70.   # 65 What would Christ say? 02:47  |  Edith 08/11/08
      71.   With all due respect 03:30  |  Morris Valentine 08/11/08
      72.   GO AHEAD, BABY 03:49  |  indrajaya 08/11/08
      73.   W #61-finally honesty from a christian 04:46  |  Arie 08/11/08
      74.   End Relgion! 05:03  |  B. Freeman 08/11/08
      75.   Indrajaya What`s This "Baby" Thing? 05:04  |  Yosemite 08/11/08
      76.   72 Go ahead booby 06:07  |  * BEN JABO 08/11/08
      77.   Demands on the Vatican 06:09  |  Sam 08/11/08
      78.   # 76, BEN JABO 06:30  |  indrajaya 08/11/08
      79.   #2auonist a veritable comic on ill treatment by muslims 12:13  |  victor hardman 08/11/08
      80.   Aren`t venom and religion incompatible? 13:17  |  Joseph 08/11/08
      81.   Morris Valetnine 13:17  |  Connie 08/11/08
      82.   thk 45 13:36  |  potobac 08/11/08
      83.   ben jabo 76 13:41  |  potobac 08/11/08
      84.   sam 77 13:44  |  potobac 08/11/08
      85.   The Irgun were also indifferent to the Holocaust 18:25  |  Nick Ferriman 08/11/08
      86.   Best thing to do send the IDF to Boom Vatican just like you did 19:07  |  US person 08/11/08
      87.   Indifferent 85 19:22  |  Anthony 08/11/08
      88.   what is really outrageous 19:46  |  izak 08/11/08
      89.   # 43 Chris L: not the Catolic Church, but the european Nazis 19:50  |  Israeli citizen 08/11/08
      90.   The Vatican, Pope Pius XII, the Jews 20:13  |  Ricardo Kolbe 08/11/08
      91.   Where is ... 23:34  |  Axel 08/11/08
      92.   #87 anthony in calgary and history of his own invention 23:53  |  victor hardman 08/11/08
      93.   Catholicism 23:59  |  Jose Marcio 08/11/08
      94.   Moris Valentine completed his reversal to natural state - 01:20  |  17 09/11/08
      95.   #80 Joseph: The source of venom for the last 2,000 years 01:48  |  AniAshkeloni 09/11/08
      96.   #72 that pope was declared holo too 02:24  |  Edith 09/11/08
      97.   re 9 Pssst catholic 02:31  |  alan the real one 09/11/08
      98.   re 41 Its only a mtter of tim 02:37  |  alan the real one 09/11/08
      99.   #41 Chris....how about 2000 years ago? 03:06  |  AniAshkeloni 09/11/08
      100.   Your Publication Policy 03:49  |  Frank 09/11/08
      101.   Your Publication Policy 03:57  |  Frank 09/11/08
      102.   Catholic.. 04:13  |  Terminator 09/11/08
      103.   A german pope... 04:16  |  Terminator 09/11/08
      104.   #51 THK 04:54  |  Barry S. Roffman 09/11/08
      105.   aniashkeloni 41 04:58  |  potobac 09/11/08
      106.   terminator 97 05:02  |  potobac 09/11/08
      107.   To Connie, 17 (#81, 89) 05:15  |  Morris Valentine 09/11/08
      108.   Pius X11th 05:52  |  Marianne Salinger 09/11/08
      109.   Vatican: Practice what you preach. Time for Confession. 07:09  |  AniAshkeloni 09/11/08
      110.   #101 Potobac: Vatican has transferred guilt for centuries 07:23  |  AniAshkeloni 09/11/08
      111.   @46, newageblues. TOTALLY CORRECT!!! 07:49  |  vladimir 09/11/08
      112.   IF SO....OPEN UP THE RECORDS/ARCHIVE!!!! 07:51  |  Ben Yeppi 09/11/08
      113.   Indrahaya - You first 02:14  |  * BEN JABO 10/11/08
      114.   #49 Linthwaite 02:17  |  * BEN JABO 10/11/08
      115.   #81 Say Connie, Jesus?????!!!!??? 17:48  |  ballistic 10/11/08
      116.   #85 Nick, good post. 17:50  |  ballistic 10/11/08
      117.   Roman Catholic Atrocities 17:53  |  Just a preacher 10/11/08
      118.   #85 2ND TRY Ferriman - How about supplying 18:46  |  * BEN JABO 10/11/08
      119.   Ballistic - The Busy little disinformer 19:41  |  Ibn Musa 10/11/08
      120.   #119 Ibn Musa 19:55  |  ballistic 10/11/08
      121.   pope 22:10  |  jan 01/12/08
      122.   John Paul II publicly opposed Iraq war 16:51  |  Jessica 06/12/08
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