History tells us that the Nazis understood Pius XII's Christmas message of 1942, and warned their representatives throughout Europe: "In a manner never known before, the Pope has repudiated the National Socialists and the New European Order. Here he is virtually accusing the German people of injustice to the Jews and makes himself a mouthpiece of the Jewish war criminals."

On October 9, 2008, St. Peter's Basilica was crowded with faithful commemorating the 50th anniversary of Pope Pius XII's death. His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated a Pontifical Mass and quoted from Pius XII's 1942 radio speech, in which he deplored the situation of "hundreds of thousands of persons who through no fault of their own, only for reason of nationality or ethnic roots, were destined for death.."

Also on October 9, 2008, which was Yom Kippur, Rabbi Eric Silver of Temple Beth David on Main Street in Cheshire stated: "Pius XII was working as God's emissary and knew his job was to save as many lives as possible. For him to do otherwise, would have indeed been a betrayal of his mission.. Sometimes being brilliant involves knowing what to say. And sometimes it's even more brilliant to know when to say nothing even when it may be tearing you up inside."

On that day, Jimmy Ingram from the United Kingdom wrote to me in defense of Pius XII: "I was only ten years old on this day in 1958, but I remember hearing the news and the huge feeling of loss--A great light has gone out on earth, but a new star shines in heaven! It seems to surprise friends that someone such as myself, who could be termed a 'liberal' Catholic, should have such an enormous devotion to Eugenio Pacelli. I do and it almost physically hurts me when I hear or read the dreadful unfounded accusations that have been made since the early 1960's. It seems that some people, even members of our own Church, simply do not want to see the truth.."

Dr. David Limentani was a 13-year-old Jewish student in a Catholic school when the Nazis occupied Rome in 1943. He was given the name "Fabio Marucco." No one knew he was Jewish except the superior. He recalled that he not only helped prepare the Christmas Crib, but also attended religious services with the other students. He could not reveal that he was Jewish and was told to line up with the boys for Confession. This was the occasion for him to receive information about other members of his family. He also recalled that he was walking with a group of boys when the SS approached them. Fortunately, the priest who was with them spoke German fluently. He shocked the SS when he threatened to report them to their superiors. The boys returned to school safely, but to recuperate from the ordeal they spent two weeks in the Infirmary.

In the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, there are over 20,000 files of information provided by people who themselves had been saved by non-Jews and about 5,000 memoirs of survivors, as well as countless stories of Christians who saved that particular memoir writer. Sister Margherita Marchione's new book, The Truth Will Set You Free, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Pius XII's death. In the Introduction, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State, strongly defends Pope Pius XII against critics, and gives testimony of why he is "worthy of beatification."

Margherita Marchione, PhD, author of: Yours Is a Precious Witness: Memoirs of Jews and Catholics in Wartime Italy (1997); Pius XII: Architect for Peace (2000); Consensus and Controversy (2002); Shepherd of Souls: A Pictorial Life of Pius XII (2002), Man of Peace (2003), Crusade of Charity: Pius XII and POWs (2006), Did Pope Pius XII Help the Jews? (2007), Paulist Press.