Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII, born Eugenio Pacelli, led the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958. His papacy spanned World War II and the early Cold War.

Eugenio Pacelli: Eugenio Pacelli was an Italian priest and diplomat who became Pope Pius XII in 1939. His years as nuncio and Vatican secretary of state prepared him for the papacy.
Pius XII and the Holocaust: The historical debate over Pius XII’s knowledge of, response to, and public statements about the Holocaust. His conduct toward Nazi persecution remains the central controversy of his papacy.
Mystici Corporis Christi: A 1943 encyclical in which Pius XII described the Catholic Church as the mystical body of Christ. It set out a major theological account of the Church under his leadership.
Cold War: The Cold War was the prolonged geopolitical rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II. Pius XII’s later papacy unfolded amid conflict with communist governments and ideology.
Papal conclave of 1939: The papal election that chose Eugenio Pacelli as pope on 2 March 1939. Pacelli’s election came six months before Germany invaded Poland.
Rome under Nazi occupation: The German occupation of Rome from September 1943 until the city’s liberation in June 1944. The Vatican’s actions during the occupation, including aid to Jews, are debated.
Munificentissimus Deus: The 1950 apostolic constitution defining the Assumption of Mary as Catholic dogma. Pius XII used papal authority to define a doctrine for the universal Church.
Decree against communism: A 1949 Holy Office decree that barred Catholics from supporting communist parties and related activities. It formalized the Church’s hardening opposition to communist movements.
Holy See: The Holy See is the central governing authority of the Catholic Church, headed by the pope. Pius XII’s office joined spiritual leadership with international diplomacy.
Righteous Among the Nations: An honor awarded by Israel to non-Jews who risked their lives to rescue Jews during the Holocaust. The honor became a focal point in arguments over whether Pius XII should be recognized.

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