Wartime Pope Pius XII moved step closer to sainthood, despite Jewish objections
The Vatican is on collision course with the Jewish world after Pope Benedict XVI moved his controversial wartime predecessor, Pius XII, farther along the path to sainthood.
The unexpected move came months after Pope Benedict found himself at the centre of huge controversy when he rehabilitated a British bishop who has consistently denied the severity and scope of the Holocaust.
The German-born pontiff risks worsening relations with Jewish groups after declaring Pius "venerable" - a key step in advancing him towards beatification and then canonisation.
The issue is highly sensitive because many Jewish groups, including survivors of the Holocaust, have accused the wartime Pope of turning a blind eye to the Nazis' extermination of six million Jews. The matter is made even more delicate by Benedict's German nationality, and by his wartime membership of the Hitler Youth - albeit against his will.
Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)
The unexpected move came months after Pope Benedict found himself at the centre of huge controversy when he rehabilitated a British bishop who has consistently denied the severity and scope of the Holocaust.
The German-born pontiff risks worsening relations with Jewish groups after declaring Pius "venerable" - a key step in advancing him towards beatification and then canonisation.
The issue is highly sensitive because many Jewish groups, including survivors of the Holocaust, have accused the wartime Pope of turning a blind eye to the Nazis' extermination of six million Jews. The matter is made even more delicate by Benedict's German nationality, and by his wartime membership of the Hitler Youth - albeit against his will.