Testament of Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII signed his testament (will) on May 15, 1956, some fifteen months before his death. Unlike the testaments of his predecessor Pius X and successor John Paul II, it is a very short document, omitting names, details and designations of individual material belongings.

Supporters of Pope Pius XII view the testament as a testimonial of his modesty and spiritual holiness.^[1] It has been quoted at memorial events in his honour and is allegedly a part of the documentation of his beatification process underway in Rome.

Noteworthy is the first sentence in Latin: Miserere mei, Deus, secundum (magnam) misericordiam tuam (Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your great mercy; Psalm 50). When the Pope pronounced these words after his election March 2, 1939, the word magnam was a part of the cited Psalm. However the new 1956 translation left out this word. In order to be correct in his 1939 quote, Pope Pius put (magnam) in parentheses.

Text

Miserere mei, Deus, secundum (magnam) misericordiam tuam

These words, which, aware of my unworthiness and insufficiency, I pronounced at the moment, in which with trepidation I accepted the election as Pope, I now repeat with even greater justification, because I am even more aware of my unworthiness and insufficiency after inadequacies and errors during so long a pontificate and so serious an epoch. I humbly ask pardon from all those, whom I have hurt, harmed or discomforted by word or deed.

I ask those, whose affair it is, not to bother any monuments to my memory. It is sufficient, that my poor remains are buried in a sacred place, the more hidden the better. It is not necessary that I ask for prayers for my soul. I know, how many prayers are the custom of the Apostolic See, and the piety of the faithful, for every Pope who dies.

Nor is it necessary that I leave a “spiritual testament” as so many zealous prelates in praiseworthy fashion used to do. The numerous writings and speeches which I published or delivered while executing my office, suffice, for whoever might like to know my thoughts on different questions of religion and ethics.

Having said this, I name as my universal heir the Holy Apostolic See, from which I have received so much as from a loving mother

May 15, 1956

Alternative translation

Another translation of the Testament was given by Dorothy Day in Catholic Worker magazine.^[2] The naming of faults has an extra phrase: "sins committed". This is a significant inclusion, knowing Day's admiration of Pius XII (She calls him "our dear Holy Father" in the article giving the alternate translation). Dropping the strong words "sins committed" would need to be explained. Also interesting is the translation "scandalized". The complete listing of faults follows:

I now repeat with even more foundation at a time in which knowledge of the deficiencies, of the failures, of the sins committed during so long a pontificate and in so grave an epoch has made more clear to my mind my insufficiency and unworthiness.

I humbly ask pardon of all whom I may have offended, harmed or scandalized by word or by deed.

References

↑ Raomondo Spiazzi, on October 9, 1992 Campo Santo Vaticano
↑ Day, Dorothy (November 1958). "The Pope is Dead. Long Live the Pope/Viva John XXIII". The Catholic Worker (1): 2. Retrieved 3 November 2016.

Pope Pius XII

Born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli, 2 March 1876 – 9 October 1958 Pope (1939–1958) Camerlengo (1935–1939) Cardinal Secretary of State (1930–1939) Archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica (1930–1939)

Biography	Early life Nunciature US visit Election Later years Illness and death Testament Canonization

Encyclicals in chronological order	Summi Pontificatus Sertum laetitiae Saeculo exeunte Mystici corporis Divino afflante Spiritu Orientalis Ecclesiae Communium interpretes Orientales omnes Ecclesias Quemadmodum Deiparae Virginis Mariae Fulgens radiatur Mediator Dei Optatissima pax Auspicia quaedam In multiplicibus curis Redemptoris nostri cruciatus Anni sacri Summi maeroris Humani generis Mirabile illud Evangelii praecones Sempiternus Rex Christus Ingruentium malorum Orientales Ecclesias Doctor mellifluus Fulgens corona Sacra virginitas Ecclesiae fastos Ad Sinarum gentem Ad Caeli Reginam Musicae sacrae Haurietis aquas Luctuosissimi eventus Laetamur admodum Datis nuperrime Fidei donum Invicti athletae Le pèlerinage de Lourdes Miranda prorsus Ad Apostolorum principis Meminisse iuvat

World War II	The Holocaust statements conversion of Jews Persecution of Church German Resistance Nazi euthanasia Catholic Resistance Roman razzia Occupied dioceses Ustaše involvement Jewish orphans controversy Pontifical Relief Commission 1942 Christmas address Alleged kidnapping plot Yad Vashem Bombing of Rome

Foreign relations	Nazi Germany (Reichskonkordat) Post-World War II "Ratlines" Persecutions China Eastern Europe Poland Russia

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Appointments	Tisserant Maglione Montini Tardini Orsenigo Muench Cardinals

Advisers	Bea Galeazzi-Lisi Kaas Lehnert Leiber Nogara Spellman Spiazzi

Bibliography	The Deputy (fictional play) Three Popes and the Jews Actes et documents Hitler's Pope International Catholic-Jewish Historical Commission Under His Very Windows: The Vatican and the Holocaust in Italy The Myth of Hitler's Pope Pius XII, The Holocaust, and the Cold War The Pope's Jews: The Vatican's Secret Plan to Save Jews from the Nazis

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