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Here's what the Vatican's secret-keeper wants you to know
• The Vatican is working to change the perception of its archives as completely secret by renaming them the Vatican Apostolic Archive and allowing scholars access to files related to Pope Pius XII.
• Archbishop Sergio Pagano, the archive's prefect for 45 years, shares insights in his book "Secretum," revealing lesser-known historical details about the Vatican's history.
• Significant events discussed by Pagano include Napoleon's 1810 sacking of the archive, the Galileo affair, and the 1922 conclave that relied on donations from U.S. Catholics.
• Pagano addresses Pope Pius XII's controversial silence during and after World War II, acknowledging his choice to remain quiet during the war but criticizing his failure to condemn Nazi atrocities afterward.
• He attributes Pius' silence to concerns about the establishment of a Jewish state and the potential political fallout from his statements on the Holocaust.
• Pagano critiques the incomplete research behind Pius' sainthood cause, noting that Jesuit researchers did not access the full archive, which he believes should have been essential for canonization.
• The book reveals the Vatican's financial struggles during the 1922 conclave, including an empty papal treasury that required urgent funds from U.S. churches to elect Pope Pius XI.
• Pagano suggests that renaming the archive may have been a strategic move to attract donations from wealthy U.S. churches, particularly through a new foundation supporting the archive.
• He highlights a significant document in the archive: a 1530 letter from British nobles to Pope Clement VII regarding King Henry VIII's annulment request, which was hidden during Napoleon's seizure of the archives.
• Pagano emphasizes the importance of preserving historical documents, showcasing the archive's role in maintaining significant pieces of history, including the origins of the Anglican Church.