Holy See during the world wars of the 20th century. An attempt to compare the positions of Benedict XV and Pius XII
Abstract
The study deals with the comparison of the attitudes of the two highest representatives of the Catholic Church, Popes Benedict XV and Pius XII, at the beginning of the World Wars I and II. It reflects their relationship with the great powers and their representatives, diplomatic, political, peace and charitable activities, changes in the Roman Curia and the personalities of the pontiffs in the contemporary political-religious context of that time.
The text represents a controversy with the public opinion that the Holy See remained passive during the world conflicts of the 20th century at the same time showing that the attitudes of the two pontiffs were largely similar. The study is based mainly on published sources and numerous literature, especially of English and Italian provenance.