Pietro Palazzini
Encyclopedia
Pietro Palazzini was an Italian
Cardinal
who helped to save Jews in World War II
.
Born in Piobbico
, near Pesaro
, he was ordained a priest on December 6, 1934 and was made a Cardinal in 1973.
, to serve as coordinator and secretary of a Commission of high-ranking Cardinals to review a new and highly popular but controversial presentation of the Catholic faith which was issued by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Netherlands and was commonly referred to as the "Dutch Catechism
". It was "a work which on the one hand is marked with exceptional qualities but on the other hand, because of its new opinions, from the very moment of issue disturbed not a few of the faithful." It was translated into over 20 languages and received wide distribution.
On October 14, 1968, Palazzini issued their official views together with Charles Journet
, Joseph Frings, Joseph-Charles Lefèbvre
, Ermenegildo Florit
, Michael Browne, and
Lorenz Jäger: Declaration of the Commission of Cardinals on the "New Catechism" ("De Nieuwe Katechismus"). The declaration was not rejected by the Dutch bishops and, while they did they change the text, they issued the views of the Commission in the form of a supplement.
as "Righteous Among the Nations
", where he protested the repeated criticisms against Pope Pius XII
, on whose instructions Palazzini declared himself to have acted. Palazzini, a theological advisor to the Pontiff, had taught and written about the moral theology of Pope Pius XII.
In a 1992 interview, he referred to a walk he took with Pius XII in the Vatican Gardens before the imminent Nazi occupation of Rome
, during which, it was rumoured, the Pope could be abducted. Behind the bushes, on the walkways, everywhere marching exercises by the soldiers of the Papal Noble Guard. When the Pope asked the meaning of all this, he was told that these are exercises in preparation for his defense, in case of a German take-over of the Vatican. However, on the day of the German occupation of the Eternal City, the Papal Noble Guard had disappeared. Only the Swiss guard stood watch at the Vatican. Pope Pius XII
, Palazzini stated, would not have left the Vatican
as Pope
in case of a Nazi abduction. He would have resigned and left as a simple priest.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
who helped to save Jews in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Born in Piobbico
Piobbico
Piobbico is a comune in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino in the Italian region Marche, located about 80 km west of Ancona and about 50 km southwest of Pesaro....
, near Pesaro
Pesaro
Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
, he was ordained a priest on December 6, 1934 and was made a Cardinal in 1973.
Palazzini and the Dutch Catechism
An eminent moral theologian, he was appointed by Pope Paul VIPope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
, to serve as coordinator and secretary of a Commission of high-ranking Cardinals to review a new and highly popular but controversial presentation of the Catholic faith which was issued by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Netherlands and was commonly referred to as the "Dutch Catechism
Dutch Catechism
The Dutch Catechism of 1966, the first post-Vatican II Catholic catechism, reflects the Magisterium of the Dutch bishops. It was commissioned and authorized by the Catholic hierarchy of the Netherlands.- Summary :...
". It was "a work which on the one hand is marked with exceptional qualities but on the other hand, because of its new opinions, from the very moment of issue disturbed not a few of the faithful." It was translated into over 20 languages and received wide distribution.
On October 14, 1968, Palazzini issued their official views together with Charles Journet
Charles Journet
Charles Journet was a Swiss Catholic theologian and cardinal.Born in Geneva, Charles Journet studied at the seminary in Fribourg before being ordained to the priesthood on July 15, 1917. He then did pastoral work in the Diocese of Fribourg until 1924, and there taught at the seminary from 1924 to...
, Joseph Frings, Joseph-Charles Lefèbvre
Joseph-Charles Lefèbvre
Joseph-Charles Lefèbvre was a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Bourges from 1943 to 1969, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1960....
, Ermenegildo Florit
Ermenegildo Florit
Ermenegildo Florit was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Florence from 1962 to 1977, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1965.-Biography:...
, Michael Browne, and
Lorenz Jäger: Declaration of the Commission of Cardinals on the "New Catechism" ("De Nieuwe Katechismus"). The declaration was not rejected by the Dutch bishops and, while they did they change the text, they issued the views of the Commission in the form of a supplement.
Palazzini and Pius XII
In 1985, Palazzini was honored by Yad VashemYad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
as "Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
", where he protested the repeated criticisms against Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
, on whose instructions Palazzini declared himself to have acted. Palazzini, a theological advisor to the Pontiff, had taught and written about the moral theology of Pope Pius XII.
In a 1992 interview, he referred to a walk he took with Pius XII in the Vatican Gardens before the imminent Nazi occupation of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, during which, it was rumoured, the Pope could be abducted. Behind the bushes, on the walkways, everywhere marching exercises by the soldiers of the Papal Noble Guard. When the Pope asked the meaning of all this, he was told that these are exercises in preparation for his defense, in case of a German take-over of the Vatican. However, on the day of the German occupation of the Eternal City, the Papal Noble Guard had disappeared. Only the Swiss guard stood watch at the Vatican. Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
, Palazzini stated, would not have left the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
as Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
in case of a Nazi abduction. He would have resigned and left as a simple priest.