Plans for Pope Pius XII museum revealed

The Smiling Pope Pius XII

 

 

Rome, Italy, June 15 (CNA/EWTN News)
.- A leading Italian politician is giving his support to plans for a
museum in Rome to commemorate the memory of the wartime pontiff, Pope
Pius XII.

"I've
taken on the impetus of this important idea that wishes to give the
proper place in history to this great Pope," Italian Senator Stefano De
Lillo told CNA.

"During
his life he was exalted by all, and at the time of his death the Prime
Minister of Israel, Golda Meir, said that he died a 'grande giusto' – a
'great, just man.'"

The
plans for the museum are at an early stage but they have already been
discussed at an international conference organized by Sen. De Lillo this
month. The idea has also gained the support of the former Italian Prime
Minister Giulio Andreotti.

One
of the biggest stumbling blocks, however, is the continually recycled
accusation that Pope Pius didn't do enough during the war to save Jews
from persecution. Sen. De Lillo hopes the new museum can help set the
record straight.

"There
are so many writings from Italian and Roman Jews who thank the Pope for
having permitted them to seek refuge in convents, institutes and
churches throughout Rome. It is estimated that at least 5,000 people
were saved through the direct action of the Pope."

"We
can say that a museum of this type can help give back a just historical
truth, in full harmony with our elder brothers of the Jewish religion,
with whom our rapport is extremely good," the Italian lawmaker said.

The
museum idea was initially given to Sen. De Lillo by the 90-year-old New
Jersey nun, Sister Margherita Marchione, who has been campaigning since
1995 to clear the name of Pope Pius XII. In fact, over the past 16
years she's become one of his leading biographers.

Sen.
De Lillo says the museum would "bring together all of the documentation
that the sister possesses, along with other documentation possessed by
other sites."

He also wants to mark what he sees as the bravery and loyalty of Pope Pius towards the citizens of Rome during the war.

"Thanks
to Pope Pius XII, Rome was declared an 'open city' during the Second
World War so it was prohibited by an international convention to bomb
the city," Sen. De Lillo recalled.

Actually
both before and after the granting of this status in 1943, Rome was
bombed by both Allied and Axis powers. But unlike the Italian king,
Victor Emmanuel III, and the country's dictator, Benito Mussolini, who
fled Rome due to the threat of bombing, Pope Pius XII remained in the
city throughout.

"After
the war, the citizens and the city of Rome put up a plaque in Pius XII
Square near the Vatican thanking the Pope for having saved Rome," the
senator noted.

The
Romans also honored him with the title "Defensor Civitatis" or
"Defender of the City," which is the name Senator De Lillo would like to
give to the new museum.