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New research shows Catholic Church in Rome hid thousands of Jews from Nazis during WWII

FILE - Undated file photo of Pope Pius XII. Researchers have discovered new documentation that substantiates reports that Catholic convents and monasteries in Rome sheltered Jews during World War II, providing names of at least 3,200 Jews whose identities have been corroborated by the city’s Jewish community, officials said Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. The documentation doesn’t appear to shed any new light on the role of Pope Pius XII during the Nazi occupation of Rome. (AP Photo)
Bomb-damaged Basilica of St Lawrence in Rome, Italy in 1943

Overview

  • Catholic institutions provided shelter for over 3,200 Jews in Rome during Nazi occupation, according to newly uncovered documentation.
  • Information revealed through research by Pontifical Biblica Institute, Rome's Jewish Community, and Yad Vashem.
  • During 9 month Nazi occupation, around 2,000 of 10,000-15,000 Jews in Rome were deported and murdered.
  • In total, nearly 8,000 Italian Jews were killed in the Holocaust.
  • Documentation helps fill in historical record about Catholic Church's role protecting Jews from Nazis.