Pope Francis orders online release of second world war-era ‘Jewish’ files

Vatican archive of 2,700 cases of requests for help by Jewish people renews debate on Pope Pius XII legacy

Pope Francis has ordered the online publication of 170 volumes of files relating to Jewish people from the recently opened Pope Pius XII archives, amid renewed debate about the legacy of the second world war-era pope.

The archive of 2,700 cases gathers the requests for help sent to Pope Pius XII by Jewish people ... after the beginning of Nazi and fascist persecution", said the Vatican's secretary for relations with states, Paul Richard Gallagher, in a statement.