# 1939 CORONATION OF POPE PIUS XII VATICAN CITY CATHOLIC CHURCH 77294

This 1939 silent newsreel was originally made for private home viewing, and sold in American department stores. The film shows the process by which Pope Pius XII was selected, and features footage of many of the Cardinals who participated in the process including American George Cardinal Mundelein and Dennis Cardinal Dougherty. Pope Pius XI died on 10 February 1939. Several historians have interpreted the conclave to choose his successor as facing a choice between a diplomatic or a spiritual candidate, and they view Pacelli's diplomatic experience, especially with Germany, as one of the deciding factors in his election on 2 March 1939, his 63rd birthday, after only one day of deliberation and three ballots. He was the first cardinal Secretary of State to be elected pope since Clement IX in 1667. He was one of only two men known to have served as Camerlengo immediately prior to being elected as pope (the other being Pope Leo XIII). According to rumours, he asked for another ballot to be taken to ensure the validity of his election. After his election was indeed confirmed, he chose the name Pius XII in honour of his immediate predecessor. His coronation took place on 12 March 1939. Upon being elected pope he was also formally the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, prefect of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches and prefect of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation.…

- Kind: Newsreel
- Genres: News, Religion, Industrial and advertising
- Archive: [Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/77294TheCoronationOfPopePuisXII)
- Licence or status: none stated by the archive
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/ia/77294TheCoronationOfPopePuisXII?play=1)