A prayer for the beatification cause of the Servant of God Pius II. This is what Pope Benedict XVI asked at the conclusion of his homily delivered at today’s celebration in the Vatican for the 50th death anniversary of Pope Pacelli. Reflecting on Pius II’s work to save the Jews, Benedict XVI recalled that "for his intervention he was unanimously praised and he received many signs of gratitude at the end of the war, and at his death, by the most important Jewish authorities." In particular, Pope Benedict XVI quoted the words of Israeli Foreign Minister Golda Meir as an example: "During the ten years of Nazi terror, when our people went through the horrors of martyrdom, the Pope raised his voice to condemn the persecutors and commiserate with their victims." Then he concluded by saying: "we grieve for the loss of a great Servant of Peace." "Let us then pray that the beatification cause of the Servant of God Pius II will go on smoothly." ” ” ” “
