The papacy of Pope Pius XII, born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli on March 2, 1876, represents one of the most pivotal periods in modern Catholic history. His reign as Supreme Pontiff, from March 2, 1939, to October 9, 1958, coincided with profound global upheaval, including World War II, the Holocaust, the Cold War, and the early rumblings of the Second Vatican Council. To understand the theology of Pius XII, one must first immerse oneself in the historical, intellectual, and spiritual contexts that shaped his thought, as well as his influence on the Catholic Church and the broader world.
