March 2, 2020
American Jewish Committee (AJC) welcomes the opening of the Vatican’s Secret Archives and other Vatican archival data from the period of the Second World War.
Some 85 researchers from more than a dozen countries, including the U.S. and Israel. have already been granted access to these materials. Bishop Sergio Pagano, prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archives, indicated that it took more than 12 years to sort through and catalogue the large quantity of information from Pius XII's long pontificate.
“We trust that the independent scholarly review of these archival materials will provide greater clarity as to what positions and steps were taken during this period by the Holy See, and help resolve the persistent debates and controversy in this regard,” said Rabbi David Rosen, AJC’s International Director of Interreligious Affairs. “Such necessary transparency is also to the credit of the Church and will further enhance the mutual trust and excellent relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish community built up over the last 55 years.”
