Pope visit to synagogue in doubt

Jewish leaders reacted with anger when he approved a decree recognising the "heroic virtues" of Pius XII, who is accused of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust.

They said the Vatican had given them private assurances the procedure leading to possible sainthood would be frozen until wartime archives had been studied further.

The timing of the decision has cast a cloud over the German Pope's plan to make his first visit to Rome's synagogue in January.