This Week in Christian History: A Pope's Death, Theologian's Birth, and Preacher's Conversion
Pope Pius XII Died on Oct. 9, 1958
This week marks the anniversary of when Pope Pius XII died. Born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli, Pius became the bishop of Rome in 1939.
"Pius' death marked not so much the end of an era for the Church as an important transition before it embarked on major reforms under John XXIII (1958–63), who convoked the Second Vatican Council (1959–65)," noted Britannica.
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Pius remains a controversial figure over his pronouncement that the Virgin Mary was assumed into Heaven and for allegations that he failed to do enough to save Jews fleeing the Holocaust.
"For much of the war, he maintained a public front of indifference and remained silent while German atrocities were committed. He refused pleas for help on the grounds of neutrality, while making statements condemning injustices in general," explained the site Jewish Virtual Library.
"Privately, he sheltered a small number of Jews and spoke to a few select officials, encouraging them to help the Jews."
