# Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust: Vatican's Secret Efforts to Save Jews During WWII | EWTN Vatican

Free with YouTube's ads, posted by EWTN News.

Discover the untold stories of Pope Pius XII and the Catholic Church's efforts to save Jews and other victims of Nazi persecution during World War II.

In this week's Vaticano, we examine the controversial legacy of Pope Pius XII, explore a hidden refuge inside a Roman church where dozens of Jews were sheltered, and uncover the Vatican's secret rescue networks through newly opened archival documents.

We also revisit the extraordinary story of Irish Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, whose underground operation in Nazi-occupied Rome helped save an estimated 6,500 people.

Through interviews with historians, priests, and eyewitness accounts, this episode explores the courage, diplomacy, and humanitarian efforts that took place behind the scenes during one of history's darkest periods.

CHAPTERS 00:00 Pope Pius XII and the Vatican's Secret Efforts During World War II 01:18 Pope Pius XII: Was He Really the Silent Pope? 03:29 The Vatican's Efforts to Help Jews During the Holocaust 05:08 Pope Pius XII's Humanitarian Work During the War 08:12 Inside the Roman Church That Hid Jews from the Nazis 10:28 The Secret Attic Refuge at San Gioacchino in Prati 12:50 The Survivors: Remembering Those Hidden During the War 14:01 Newly Opened Vatican Archives Reveal Rescue Networks 20:31 Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty: The Irish Priest Who Saved 6,500 Lives 22:32 Inside O'Flaherty's Underground Rescue Network in Rome 24:43 The Irish Dominicans and the Legacy of Hugh O'Flaherty

👉🏻 Sign up for our newsletter here: https://bit.ly/ewtnvatican

👥 Follow us on our social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EWTNVatican/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EWTNVatican Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EWTNVatican

🌐 Visit https://www.ewtnvatican.com for more news and stories from the Vatican.

#PopePiusXII #HughOFlaherty #VaticanHistory #WorldWarII #HolocaustHistory #CatholicChurch #Vaticano

- What it is: Recorded live
- Length: 27 min
- Shown live: Mon 9 Nov 2026, 01:00 UTC
- Rights holder: [EWTN News](https://catholicnewsagency.com) (its site links the channel: https://www.ewtnnews.com/?redirectedfrom=cna)
- Channel: [EWTN News](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJBwb7XkojUOPbz_6uzPag)
- Plays: Wherever YouTube plays: its rights holder sets no limit
- Who can watch here: Adult profiles and older (no rating is recorded on YouTube, so adults only)
- Made for kids: No, as YouTube designates it
- On YouTube: [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhI5zYGe_j0)

It plays in YouTube's embedded player on its page here, loaded only when Play is pressed; YouTube's Terms of Service (https://www.youtube.com/t/terms) and Google's Privacy Policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy) apply to it.