 
The periodic repetition of the process of beatification of Pope Pius XII reopens the debate on the figure and the role of the Roman Pontiff during World War II. Eugenio Pacelli was at the head of the Church with the name of Pius XII from 1939 at 1958. The historical context within which entered the action by the Pope is particularly complex: the late 1930s saw a difficult situation by agreement between the Italian State and the Papal State, situation resulting from the conquest of Rome by late 19th century and its conversion into capital of the Kingdom of Italy. Concurrently, During this period, It is stated in Italy fascism, new phenomenon and that it imposes on Italian and international politics, followed by at the beginning of the 1940s, the outbreak of World War II, the difficult time of the Armistice, employment of German troops, the bombing of Rome, the liberation of Italy; the 1950s post war society evolution begins with the assumptions of a new economic boom and, at the international level, the cold war between the Usa and Russia. During all these events solidified the role of Pius XII: Historically it is difficult to judge rationally, objective and unanimous on his activities as Pope. To date, you have two types of evaluation: a negative one, According to which Pius XII worked in silence, not condemning the action Nazi genocide against Jews in Europe, not protecting the Roman Jews, not preventing the massacre of the Fosse Ardeatine; According to the other assessment, that defensive, It was only thanks to his work that Pius XII Vatican buildings could accommodate hundreds of Jews, thus saving their lives. The image etched in the collective historical memory italiana, tying Pacelli to conflict, is its presence in the San Lorenzo district, After the American bombing of July 1943: the Pope without an escort, on a simple car, accompanied only by his Secretary Malik, future Paul VI, he rushed into the place hardest hit by American bombing, praying through the crowd that image I had to Defensor urbis. From a historical point of view, what is less known is that, Thanks to the quiet of the Roman Pontiff, Pacelli extended the extraterritoriality even outside of the Vatican State, in the city of Rome, allowing Roman ecclesiastical buildings not to be searched by German troops and to be able to welcome and save Jews, military, political partisans and sought. Currently venerable for Pius XII has reached the status of the Catholic Church and the beatification process can be started only in the presence of a miracle attributed to his intercession. Only a miracle can, then, Re-evaluate the action of a Pontiff lived in an age of radical changes too strong even for the same Roman Church. This is the only way to explain why his successor, John XXIII, He felt the need to convene a Vatican Council to discuss changes in the world, of those that were taking place in society and to try to chart a new course for the Church. A summary of the pontificate of Pius XII to his radio Declaration pronounced on the occasion of the birth of 1943:
“We did and we will always do what is in our material and spiritual forces to relieve the sad consequences of war, for prisoners, for the wounded, for the missing, for stray dogs, for those in need, for all the suffering and the Tan of every language and nation " Pius PP. XII
Roberto
