That’s just one of several reasons why Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to proceed toward the canonization of Pius XII, the church’s World War II-era pope, was so surprising.

By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.RometPope Pius XII, whose role during the Second World War has long been a subject of Jewish/Christian controversy, is one step closer to sainthood after a vote in the Vatican ...

The road to sainthood is never speedy, but rarely is it as divisive as the campaign to canonize Pope Pius XII. Just last week, a group of prominent Catholic scholars urged Pope Benedict to slow ...

Pope Benedict XVI moves two of his predecessors closer to possible sainthood, signing decrees for the beloved Pope John Paul II and controversial Pope Pius XII. IE 11 is not supported.

Pius XII’s canonization is exclusive competence of the Holy See, says Cardinal Bertone. Pope Pius XII / Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone . Vatican City, Nov 7, 2008 / 11:17 am.

Pope Pius XII appears behind microphones during a radio broadcast from the Vatican in November 1947. The Pope commended the American people for their efforts to save food for war-torn Europe.

To the Editor: Re “Vatican Defends Decision on Status of Wartime Pope” (news article, Dec. 24): Although the Vatican insists that moving Pope Pius XII toward sainthood will not injure Catholic ...

A: The question of Pius XII’s cause for canonization continues to be the source of continued friction and misunderstanding. In part it is because of an apparent inability or unwillingness of the ...

A sainthood cause for Pius began shortly after his death. In the meantime, three pontiffs who came later have leapfrogged past him: John XXIII and John Paul II are now saints, and Paul VI will be ...

WASHINGTON -- Nineteen Catholic scholars of theology and history are asking Pope Benedict XVI to slow the process of the sainthood cause of Pope Pius XII.Saying that much more research needs to be ...

When Pope Paul VI started the beatification and canonization process in 1967, nine years after Pius XII’s death, he formed a committee of historians to conduct an in-depth study of his ...

The cause of canonization for Pius XII was overseen by Father Gumpel, who was in charge of the research needed in order to prove the late Pope’s heroic virtue.