Pius XII
However, shortly after the Pope's visit to America speculation arose that the Pontiff intended to accelerate the canonization process of World War II pope Pius XII. Pius XII's role in the Second World War had been an underlying issue in Catholic-Jewish relations throughout Benedict's papacy- and indeed that of John Paul II, many believe that Pius turned a blind eye to the Holocaust and did not confront Hitler's policies. Jewish groups across the world began to condemn Pius XII and any attempts to canonize him. Despite Jewish opposition Benedict maintained support for Pius XII saying that the wartime pontiff "acted in a secret and silent way because, given the realities of that complex historical moment, he realised that it was only in this way that he could avoid the worst and save the greatest possible number of Jews."
Read more about this topic: Pope Benedict XVI And Judaism
Famous quotes by pius xii:
“The Church welcomes technological progress and receives it with love, for it is an indubitable fact that technological progress comes from God and, therefore, can and must lead to Him.”
—Pius XII [Eugenio Pacelli] (1876–1958)