Born in 1876 in Rome as Eugenio Pacelli, Pope Pius XII began his religious life studying philosophy at the Gregorian University. He was ordaned in 1899 and entered the Secretariat of State for the Vatican in 1901.

By 1929 he was made a cardinal and in 1930 he was appointed Secretary of State.

On the 2nd of March 1939 he became head of the Catholic Church and took the name Pius.

A pre-war critic of Nazism, Pius lobbied world leaders to avoid war and, as Pope at the outbreak of war, issued Summi Pontificatus, expressing dismay at the invasion of Poland, reiterating church teaching against racism and calling for love, compassion and charity to prevail over war.

He did however come under heavy criticism as throughout the war he maintained Vatican neutrality. Many felt that as head of the Catholic Church he should have used his powerful position to do more about the plight of those who suffered under the Nazis. His public "Silence" on the matter of the 2nd World War is indeed a controversial subject of his papacy to this day.

He died in 1958 at the age of 82.

This drama-documentary by Phillip Rooney gives us an insight into his life, his time as head of the Catholic Church, and the legacy he left after his death.

First Broadcast October 9th 1958

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