Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII suffered from illness towards the end of his pontificate. He underwent cellular rejuvenation treatment which led to hallucinations. Pope Pius breathed his last on October 9, 1958. He died of acute heart failure which was due to sudden myocardial infarction.

His funeral procession was a huge one, attended by millions of Romans who thronged the route. It turned out to be the largest congregation of Romans that no priest or emperor ever enjoyed. He was buried in the grottos beneath St. Peter's Basilica in a simple tomb in a small chapel.

Immediately after his death, the Testament of Pope Pius XII was published. His canonization cause was opened by Pope Paul VI during the final session of the Second Vatican Council in 1965.

Pope Pius XII was born as Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli on March 2, 1876 in Rome to Filippo Pacelli and Virginia (née Graziosi) Pacelli. He had three siblings, a brother and two sisters. Pacelli’s family was ardently religious with a history of ties to papacy.

In 1880, the family moved to Via Vetrina. Pacelli studied at the Convent of the French Sisters of Divine Providence in Piazza Fiammetta, before switching to a private school in 1886. In 1891, he enrolled at Liceo Ennio Quirino Visconti Institute for better education.

In 1894, he began to study theology at Almo Collegio Capranica. Later, he enrolled at three universities, Jesuit Pontifical Gregorian University for a philosophy course, Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare to study theology and State University, La Sapienza to study modern languages and history. However, by year end, he dropped out of Capranica and the Gregorian University. Finally in 1899, Pacelli received his doctorate degree in Sacred Theology.

Immediately after completing his doctorate degree, Pacelli was ordained as a priest on Easter Sunday on April 2, 1899. Following this, he began postgraduate studies in canon law at Sant'Apollinaire. His first ever assignment was as a curate at Chiesa Nuova.

In 1901, he took up a position at the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, a sub-office of the Vatican Secretariat of State. He also worked as an apprentice in Gasparri's Department of External Affairs.

Rising up the ranks, Pacellli became a papal chamberlain and soon in 1905 received the title of domestic prelate. From 1904 to 1916, he assisted Cardinal Pietro Gasparri in his codification of canon law with the Department of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, serving as the Secretary in the last two years.

After the death of Pius X on August 1914, Benedict XV became his successor. Under Pope Benedict XV, Gasparri was named Secretary of State. Gasparri gave Pacelli the position of Undersecretary of State.

In April 1917, Pope Benedict XV appointed Pacelli as nuncio to Bavaria. The following month, he was consecrated as titular Archbishop of Sardis in the Sistine Chapel in May 1917. His tour of the German Empire was a successful one. People responded positively to the Papal initiative. He carried out Pope Benedict’s humanitarian works by helping out the Prisoners of War and healing them from the postwar distress.

Pope Pius XII is best remembered as the ‘Pope for Peace’. He took charge of the Roman Catholic Church during the turbulent phase of World War II. He used his diplomatic powers to dissuade the European governments from embarking on war but as he was unsuccessful, he instead turned towards safeguarding the innocent from the war. He came up with a number of initiatives to aid the victims. He also provided discreet aid to Jews, by giving them refuge under church premises and buildings.