Pope Pius XII | Vatican Media
Letter #35, 2024, Thursday, October 10: Pius XII
The essay below is an appreciation of the life of Pope Pius XII on the anniversary of his death on October 9, 1958, 66 years ago yesterday.
The video link below is to an Italian video chronicling the death of Pius XII in 1958, including an English-language translation of the Italian commentary.
—RM
English translation of the video text prepared by Gregory DiPippo (link):
“Pius XII died early in the morning of Thursday, October 9th, in his residence at Castel Gandolfo. Two days of anguished uncertainly before his passing; people streamed to the Papal villa, anxious for news. The doctors were reserved; the Holy Father’s condition grew worse by the hour. The science of all the world was at the service of Christendom, for its spiritual father. Cardinal Tisserant, in his role as dean (of the College of Cardinals), arrived to temporarily assume the power of the Church. The comfort of the Faith was brought by the cardinals, as the doctors shrugged their shoulders in resignation. Moments of hope after a brief of improvement, but time marked out the signs of the inevitable. The last morning dawned, women, men, religious, boys, little girls, asked God that he be saved, all the world was in prayer. The doctors could speak no further words of comfort. (Newspaper headline at 1:10, ‘The Pope is dying’) Papa Pacelli [1] was dying. The crowd in silent waiting was still waiting for a miracle, but the fatal night had already arrived. The doctors simply said, ‘Pray.’
1:24 At 3:52 am, Pius XII finished his earthly journey. Cardinal Tisserant blessed the Pope, dead after a long agony. Fr Pellegrino (a popular personality on Italian radio) gave the final announcement on the radio, the journalists published the last bare details, the telexes typed without a break, the bells sounded fully in the anguished night, the flag hung at half-mast. Pius XII was dead.
1:56 On his sick bed, Papa Pacelli received the comforts of the faith in rochet and mozzetta, his profile sharpened by suffering, the hands that used to bless, crossed. The throne of a great pontificate is empty. Huge is the crowd in silent prayer. The first visitors arrive: prelates, civil authorities. (Italian President) Giovanni Gronchi and the Prime Minister (Amintore Fanfani) offer the condolences of the Italian people and of the government, the mourning of the Italians for the Roman Pope. Clothed in (sacred) vestments, Pius XII is brought into the room of the Swiss (guards) in the Pontifical villa. From the Castelli Romani, men and women have come together to pay tribute to the Pope who spent much of his time in the hills reflected in the Lago Albano. [2] In a silence that not even the whispered words of their prayers can break, (at 3:01, Giovanni Battista Montini, the archbishop of Milan and future Pope Paul VI) people of every age salute their ‘Pastor Angelicus’ [3] for the last time. He was a man among men, the Vicar of Christ, even in the midst of his constant attention to his sacred duties.
3:11 But the hour of the last earthly journey has arrived; Rome awaits its bishop, the Vatican, one of its most glorious leaders. The body is laid out in the pine coffin with the Pontifical vestments. The ‘sediari’ (the Italian word for the men who carried the sedes gestatoria), who for 20 years, in so many rites carried the sedes gestatoria, bear the fragile mortal remains to the hearse. Thus does Papa Pacelli returns to his native city.
3:50 It is a quick trip on the road he usually took to go vacation, and his returns at the first chill of autumn. A typical October illuminates the swift cortege. People of every sort crowd the way, in silence, in quiet prayer for the man who tried everything to save the world in fearful hours of calamity.
4:11 Pope Eugenio Pacelli, bishop of Rome, arrives at his beautiful cathedral. He returns to his home, among his people, for a few brief hours, with the humility of a priest who offers blessing and comfort. Afterwards, he will be in the glory of the Church. The Roman people, who loved him and today venerate him, all stand around its shepherd. They remember their Pope on two great occasions: one of grief, when he offered his comfort after the bombardment of San Lorenzo in 1943; the other joyful, when in Piazza di Spagna he opened the celebrations of the Marian year (1954). “A Pope and a people”, they said at the time.
4:52 Now Pius XII passes along the ancient roads of the city that saw his birth; here he returned as a student to meditate and ready himself. The people crowd the way of his passage, in silent devotion. In the official cortege, with the honorable Fanfani, the ministers Tambroni, Bigorelli, Connella and Magia, the whole of the Italian people is represented. Massive is the crowd waiting at St Peter’s, the same crowd that many, many times came here to hear words of comfort in moment of crisis, words of joy in moments of peace, and the Apostolic blessing, encouraging them to the better life. They greet their ‘Pastor Angelicus’ in an impressive silence, as if they can find no voice for invocation and prayer. It is a sad hour, but very sweet.
5:43 Now Pius XII enters the glory of St Peter’s. For 2 days, the huge piazza is full of crowds, waiting in line to pay tribute to Pius XII: a continual flow of Romans, of people who have come from every part of Italy, of foreigners who have hastened to Rome to salute him who in the darkest hours was truly, with his words and his example, the Defensor Civitatis, people of every race and color.
6:11 It is the moment for the final farewell. As he himself requested in his will, Pius XII is buried simply in a sacred place, all the more pleasing (to him) for its obscurity. His remains are received in the grotto near the Clementine chapel, next to the tomb of the Apostle Peter. Simple is the rite of translation; through the great naves that heard his voice proclaim Saints and blesseds, Pius XII passes for the last time. Near him are those who humbly assisted him in his glorious work. In the sadness and grief of the hour, the believers seems still to hear his voice in blessing ‘(Benedictio Dei omnipotentis), Patris, et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, descendat super vos et maneat semper.’ ”
[1] In Italian, the Pope is commonly referred to as “Papa (last name)”, and this is not considered the least bit disrespectful.
[2] Castel Gandolfo, the traditional summer residence of the Popes, is one of several towns around the Lago Albano, which as a group are called the “Castelli Romani – Roman castles.”
[3] Pope Pius XII was frequently referred to in his lifetime as “Pastor Angelicus – the angelic shepherd”, the title which falls to him in the so-called Prophecy of St Malachi. This was one of the relatively few times when this manifestly fraudulent document coincidentally manages to say something true.
–translation and notes by Gregory DiPippo
The Heavenly Birth of the Pastor Angelicus, 66 Years Ago
By Joseph Donnelly, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., who is working during 2024-2025 as an intern with Inside the Vatican
October 9, 2024
On Thursday, October 9, 1958 at 3:52 am, Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli, Pope Pius XII, passed from this world into eternal glory in the next.
He was 82 years of age, and had served Our Blessed Lord as his earthly vicar since his 63rd birthday on March 2nd, 1939.
He had fought for peace and saved countless lives, both Jewish and non-Jewish, during World War II, given his all to those suffering in the post-war communist states, opposed heretical teaching with true doctrine, and constantly urged the faithful to live out the faith in their private and public lives, no matter their station.
Finally, he never ceased to remind the totalitarian states and the so-called “free world” that true peace and tranquility can only come when Christ is given pride of place in men’s hearts and in society.
His very name, Pacelli, denotes peace, and his episcopal motto, “Opus Justitiae Pax,” commonly translated as “Peace is the work of justice,”, is taken from Isaiah 32:17: “And the work of justice shall be peace, and the service of justice quietness, and security for ever.”
He was often fondly referred to as the “Pastor Angelicus” [Angelic Pastor or Shepherd], a title which, as one writer remarks, “falls to him in the so-called Prophecy of St Malachi. This was one of the relatively few times when this manifestly fraudulent document coincidentally manages to say something true.”
According to a reporter for the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, the pontiff’s last “distinguishable words” were “Fiat voluntas tua” [Thy will be done], on Wednesday, October 8.
A newspaper from October 31, 1958 reports:
He [Pius XII] collapsed in a big chair in his room. After an apparent effort to regain the use of his senses, the 82-year-old Pontiff relaxed his head. With his eyes closed, he murmured “Thy will be done.”
A motion he made was interpreted as meaning that he wanted to recite the Rosary. Those in the room began praying aloud, and the Pope made a distinct effort to join in the responses. His words, however, were indistinguishable.
Shortly after this the Holy Father lapsed into a coma, remaining in this state until his death at 3:52 am on Thursday, October 9.
To learn of the circumstances before and after Pius XII’s death, we can do no better than to quote the memoirs of Mother Pascalina, the loyal housekeeper for approximately 40 years of the bishop, cardinal, and, eventually, pope:
[H]is breathing was no more than a rattle even though his whole body glowed with fever…
It seemed as if the expression on the deathly pale face was becoming increasingly pained, although Dr. Niehans, who never left the beside, thought that the coma was so deep that the Holy Father could not feel anything… The Holy Father’s death rattle was interspersed with our prayers, which, right to the end, were not without hope of a miracle.
Now the rattle ceased for a time, but it began again—there was a slight opening of the firmly closed eyes—a gentle closing of the mouth into a wonderful smile that transfigured the waxen-pale face—a bowing of the noble head—a last breath.
Now he is seeing God!—it escaped my lips. Then Monsignor Tardini began in a loud, almost joyful voice, “Magnificat anima mea Dominum…” and we joined in and prayed with him. And now, “Salve Regina…” and “Sub Tuum praesidium…” Then we all approached the bedside and kissed the still feverish hands of the exalted deceased for the very last time.
No one was weeping. Not until the De Profundis was intoned did an aching sobbing go through the room. Then the doors were opened and we were forced to watch streams of people pour in. (Lehnert, 192)
Mother Pascalina also records that Monsignor Tardini, one of Pius XII’s closest collaborators, after being raised to the cardinalate, “was asked much later why it was that he intoned the ‘Magnificat’ at Pius XII’s deathbed when the Holy Father breathed his last. His reply was, ‘Because the Magnificat is the song of humility, and I have never met a more humble person in my whole life.’” (Lehnert, 20)
After the pope’s death, Mother Pascalina describes the immediate and profound grief of thousands at Castel Gandalfo, in addition to that throughout the entire world:
The great figures of the Church and the world came to see Pius XII for the last time, whom they revered as the Vicar of Christ and head of the Church, but also as a very great and noble person, as a saintly priest, an excellent scholar, and kind and loving father. It did one good to the bottom of one’s heart to see so much genuine and profound grief. It was very painful to to know that thousands were having to stand outside waiting for hours because it was simply impossible for such vast crowds to get into the death room. (Lehnert, 194)
The astonishingly large procession which accompanied the body of Pius XII from Castel Gandolfo to Rome began on October 11:
[I]t was a feast of Our Lady—the Motherhod of the Blessed Virgin Mary! She, who knew that it was not God’s will for Pius XII to be preserved in the world, wanted one of her feasts for the triumphal journey of her loyal sun into the Eternal City… It must have certainly have lain in the plans of Divine Providence that the Holy Father was not to die in Rome but in Castel Gandolfo so that this unique spectacle of his last journey to the Eternal City could take place. (Lehnert, 194-195)
What is not well-known is that the famous stigmatist himself, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, saw Pius XII in paradise. One of the most zealous advocates for Pius XII’s canonization, the late Sister Margherita Marchione, writes in Shepherd of Souls: A Pictorial Life of Pope Pius XII:
When Pius XII died on October 9, 1958, Padre Pio was consoled “by a vision of the former pontiff in his heavenly home,” according to Padre Agostino (Diario, p. 225). On May 26, 2002, Elena Rossignani Pacelliconfirmed this statement. With her mother, the Pope’s sister Elisabetta, she visited Padre Pio who spoke about this vision. Referring to Pius XII’s sanctity in his letter to Margherita Marchione (February 22, 2001), Bernard Tiffany quoted the following letter from Padre Pio’s secretary, Reverend Dominic Meyer, OFM, Cap.: “Padre Pio told me he saw the Pope in Heaven during his Mass. And many miracles have been attributed to His intercession in various parts of the world (June 30, 1959).” (Marchione, 126)
In his 2017 book, The Godmother — Mother Pascalina: A Feminine Tour de Force, Fr. Charles Theodore Murr describes Padre Pio’s vision, of which he learned during a meeting with Mother Pascalina in the 1970s.
Padre Pio had written a letter to Mother Pascalina describing this, and she “had later talked to the Franciscan Brother who was with Padre Pio at the time of the vision and he provided more details.” (Murr, 30)
Murr continues:
The radiant soul of Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli did not spend a single moment in purgatory, but ascended directly into the heavens. It was not Saint Peter who welcome him, but one of Saint Peter’s most distinguished and saintly successors: Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, Pius IX. There, standing face to face and seemingly lost in conversion stood the two Popes, each of whom had solemnly pronounced the greatest Marian dogmas since the Council of Ephesus [AD 431] declared Mary “the Mother of God”: Pius IX, who declared her Immaculately Conceived, and Pius XII, who declared her Assumed, body and soul, into heaven. Then from a much higher place, a carpet of roses unrolled downward. At the very top of it was the Blessed Mother, L’Assunta, [Our Lady of the Assumption] dazzling in beauty and light, surrounded by countless choirs of angels. The Blessed Virgin motioned to the worthy Vicars of her Son to step onto the rose carpet and ascend to her so she could present them to her Son. The two Popes, concluded Padre Pio in his letter, rose toward the Madonna and were lifted until they were beyond his sight. “I saw this,” declared Padre Pio, “as it was happening.” (Murr, 31)
Partly due to the false history that Pius XII was indifferent to the plight of the Jews during World War II, which could not be farther from the truth, this great pontiff has not yet even been beatified. Let us implore Our Blessed Lord that He, in His own time, will move His Church to raise Pius XII to the honor of the altars.
Venerable Pius XII, pray for us!
[End of Joseph Donnelly text]
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