L’Osservatore Romano editor: Communists, Church progressives smeared Pius XII’s reputation
June 16, 2009
The creation of a “black legend” surrounding Pope Pius XII was the work of Communists who were aided by Church progressives, according to L’Osservatore Romano editor Giovanni Maria Vian.
Vian-- editor of a book published last week in defense of the Pontiff-- said that Rolf Hochhuth's 1963 play “The Deputy,” which helped create the view that Pope Pius did little to assist Jews during World War II, was based in part on a propaganda work published by the Soviet Academy of Sciences.
Vian added that Church progressives who wanted to create a dichotomy between Pope Pius and his successor, Blessed John XXIII, also worked to smear the wartime Pontiff’s reputation.
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Further information:
- Raffaele Alessandrini: Presentato all'Istituto Sturzo il volume «In difesa di Pio XII. Le ragioni della storia»: I silenzi degli altri (L’Osservatore Romano)
- Who Brought Down Pius XII? (Zenit)
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