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Pope Pius XII
Historical Figure
Nationality: Italy/The Vatican
Year of Birth: 1876
Year of Death: 1958
Cause of Death: Myocardial infarction
Religion: Catholicism
Occupation: Clergy, Author of Non-Fiction
Professional Affiliations: Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Political Office(s): Pope
Fictional Appearances:

Pope Pius XII (2 March 1876 - 9 October 1958), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli, reigned as the 260th pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City, from 2 March 1939 until his death. His actions during World War II have been the subject of controversy.

Pius XII in The Hot War[]

The Hot War
POD: November, 1950
Appearance(s): Fallout
Type of Appearance: Contemporary reference

Pope Pius XII reigned during both the Second and Third World Wars.[1]

Pius XII in Worldwar[]

Pope Pius XII (1876-1944) was Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church from 1939 until his violent death in 1944.

Worldwar
POD: May 30, 1942
Appearance(s): In the Balance;
Tilting the Balance;
Upsetting the Balance
Type of Appearance: Contemporary references
Date of Death: 1944
Cause of Death: Killed in an atomic bombing (Race Invasion of Tosev 3)

When the Race's Conquest Fleet subdued Italy in 1942, Pius encouraged Catholics in areas overrun by the Race's forces to cooperate with their authority.[2] Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov called for Pius' assassination at a Big Five strategy meeting in London but his allies protested the notion.[3]

Pius was killed in January 1944 when Germany destroyed Rome with an atomic bomb.[4]

Pius XII in The War That Came Early[]

The War That Came Early
POD: July 20, 1936;
Relevant POD: September 29, 1938
Appearance(s): Coup d'Etat
Type of Appearance: Contemporary reference

Pope Pius XII reigned during the Second World War. Chaim Weinberg, a devoted communist atheist, believed that sex with La Martellita was probably as close to heaven as Pius XII would ever hope to get.[5]

Literary comment[]

As his accession comes after the Point of Divergence, this Pius XII may be someone other than Eugenio Pacelli. He is included here for convenience.

Pius XII in Southern Victory[]

Southern Victory
POD: September 10, 1862
Appearance(s): The Grapple
Type of Appearance: Contemporary reference

Pope Pius XII was criticized for not condemning various human rights abuses around the globe in the early 20th century such as the Russian pogroms against the Jews and the Ottoman genocide against the Armenians as well as the Confederate Population Reduction. Some critics believed he would have been more vocal if such an atrocity were committed against a group which had a Catholic majority.[6] This criticism was questionable, since the population reduction was being carried out in strongly Catholic Haiti as well as the CSA.

Literary Comment[]

This Pius XII may be someone other than Eugenio Pacelli. He is included here for convenience.

References[]

  1. Fallout, loc. 1704, ebook.
  2. See, e.g., Tilting the Balance, p. 21.
  3. In the Balance, pg. 227.
  4. Upsetting the Balance, pg. 527, PB; pg. 474, HC.
  5. Coup d'Etat, pg. 204.
  6. The Grapple, pg. 456, HC.
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