Vatican on Pius XII and Yad Vashem

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 20, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the statement released by Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, in response to media reports regarding the possible beatification of Pius XII and the text of a caption appearing in the Yad Vashem Museum that is critical of the Pontiff.

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As in known, the Holy See’s representative in Israel has objected in the past to the text of the caption [of the photograph] of Pius XII in the Yad Vashem Museum. It is desirable that it be the subject of a new objective and in-depth consideration on the part of museum officials.

Nevertheless — for however relevant it is — this fact cannot be regarded as decisive in regard to the Holy Father’s possible trip to the Holy Land, a trip that, as is known, the Pope hopes to make but that has not, for now, been concretely planned.

Regarding the cause of beatification, I repeat what I have recently stated: The Pope has not yet signed the decree about the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Pius XII, a signature that is necessary for the further progress of the cause

This is for him an object of continued study and reflection and in this situation it is not opportune to try to apply pressure in one direction or another.

[Translation by ZENIT]
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