Pope Pius XII in Throne (cropped).jpg, Wikimedia Commons
On July 13, 1949, the Vatican published the historic Decree Against Communism.
Authorized by Pope Pius XII on July 1, the edict declared Catholics who knowingly professed or actively supported atheistic communist doctrines to be excommunicated as apostates from the faith. They couldn’t even read anything about communism.
The decree was drafted by the Holy Office and categorized communist engagement into a few key levels:
- Active Supporters: Those who knowingly and freely joined the Communist Party and supported its policies were outright excommunicated.
- Propagandists: Those who read, published, or disseminated Communist publications were denied the church’s sacraments.
At the height of the Cold War, the Vatican viewed the ideology as the “irreconcilable enemy” of Christianity, as millions of Catholics in the Eastern Bloc and Western Europe faced growing pressure between their faith and their politics.
After World War II, the Soviet Union and its satellite countries began a violent crackdown against all religions, particularly Catholicism. Stalin believed the Church sided with Nazi Germany. During the war, Pope Pius XII asked for support from France, the UK, and Italy, but all refused to intercede. The Cold War had begun. Finally, the Vatican published the decree in its official newspaper, stating that practicing Catholics can no longer join the Communist Party or even read Marxist material, said the Pontiff.
“Should Christians who profess, defend, or promote materialistic communist doctrine incur the penalty of excommunication? Yes.” The exception was those Christians forced to vote for the Communist Party out of fear.
On July 13th, the New York Times called the Pope’s decision a sweeping decree, marking the latest Vatican step in the worldwide struggle against communism.
Today, communism in America is more popular than at any time since the early 20th century. According to a survey from YouGov, more than a third of Gen Z and Millennials have a favorable opinion of Marxism. That number drops to just 7% for folks over 60. We didn’t do a good job of warning the youth in our schools or at home.
Pope Pius was against all totalitarian ideologies, but was called Hitler’s Pope.
Before he became Pope Pius XII, Eugenio Pacelli was a fierce critic of the Nazi party, but as Pope, he had a back-channel and used his diplomatic skills to keep the Nazis out of the Vatican.
Pius XII is harshly criticized for his “silence” during the Holocaust. What you may not know is that he secretly orchestrated one of the largest rescue operations in history. Newly opened Vatican archives reveal he helped hide over 4,200 Jews in monasteries and convents, saving 80% of Rome’s Jewish population.
Jewish people tend not to believe this, but one way or the other, God has judged him.
