Posted on 06/30/2006 7:43:26 AM PDT by Pyro7480
Vatican to release files on Pope Pius XI
VATICAN CITY - The Vatican said Friday it will release from its secret archives years of files on Pope Pius XI, whose pontificate spanned most of the period between the world wars.
The files cover the period from Feb. 6, 1922, to Feb. 10, 1939. Researchers will be allowed to access the files beginning Sept. 18.
In 2003, the Vatican began making available to scholars millions of Vatican documents from the years leading up to World War II, making them available ahead of schedule at the request of Pope John Paul II.
For years, the Vatican has struggled to defend Pius' successor — the wartime Pope Pius XII — against claims he did not do enough to save Jews from the Holocaust.
The material to be released may include an encyclical that Pius XI commissioned to denounce racism and the violent nationalism of Germany.
The encyclical was titled "Humani Generis Unitatas," or "The Unity of the Human Race," but Pius died before releasing it. It was never made public.
Catholic ping!
The Vatican also announced it this morning.
D'oh, sorry Pyro, for the last incomprehensible post. I read the Italian news release first thing this morning and was waiting for an English translation. *sheepish grin*
I like Antoninus's redaction.
Bump
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.