Benedict XVI Defends Nazi-Era Pope Pius XII, Says Vatican Helped Jews During War

While not citing Pius directly by name, he attempted to address concerns within the Jewish community that his predecessor did too little to prevent the Holocaust. The Great Synagogue is the heart of the former ghetto, where Jews were walled in by the Vatican in the 16th century, and is a symbol of Nazi persecution.

Benedict has been criticized for putting Pius XII on track for sainthood. Judeo-Christian relations have deteriorated since 2009, when the pope lifted an excommunication on a bishop who had publicized his view that there was no “historic evidence” for the Holocaust.

The Vatican “provided assistance, often in a hidden and discreet way,” Benedict said in the speech. “Many Italian Catholics reacted with courage, often at risk of their lives, opening their arms to assist the Jewish fugitives.”

Pius XII is a divisive figure, praised by some for protecting Jews from persecution during the war and criticized by others who say he didn’t do enough to denounce and stop the Holocaust. He was the subject of a 1999 book entitled “Hitler’s Pope” that examined his wartime record and allegations he was anti-Semitic.

Benedict recognized Pius XII’s “heroic values” on Dec. 19, paving the way for his beatification. The Vatican defended the decision on Dec. 23 and said it was based on Pius’s “intense relationship with God” and not on the “historical impact of his operative decision.” The Vatican will open its papal archives, which will shed light on its diplomatic efforts during the Nazi era, in 2014.