Holocaust survivors appeal to Vatican

VATICAN CITY - One of the most influential groups of Holocaust survivors accused Nazi-era Pope Pius XII yesterday of keeping "silent in the face of absolute evil" and asked the Vatican to freeze his sainthood process.

The New York-based group, the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants, announced a global campaign to lobby Vatican ambassadors so that Pope Benedict will put the sainthood process for his predecessor on hold.

"What we as survivors and their children seek to convey to our friends at the Vatican is our moral anguish and deep pain at this moment," Elan Steinberg, the group's vice president, said. "There were many individuals and representatives of the Church whose shining heroism during the terrible years of the Holocaust should be recognized, but Pope Pius was not among them," said Steinberg, who is also director emeritus of the World Jewish Congress.

Some Jews have accused Pius, who reigned from 1939 to 1958, of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust. The Vatican says he worked behind the scenes and helped save many Jews.

The American Gathering, which has about 60,000 members, will seek meetings with the Vatican nuncio in Washington. Other survivor organizations will approach Vatican envoys in dozens of other countries.

Benedict has yet to decide if Pius can proceed to sainthood.

REUTERS