Sacro Vergente
Encyclopedia
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
to all people of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In it Pope consecrates all the people of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
. Because of the Virgin Mary, he has great faith in the future of their country but is anguished about the Soviet hostility towards religion in general and the Catholic Church in particular.
The Pope remembers that after he solemnly declared the Virgin Mary taken up into heaven, many wrote to him, asking that he may dedicate the whole Russian people to the immaculate heart of the Virgin. He was grateful for this request, since he has a special affection for the great people, who, while separated from him, continues to fight for its Christian identity with all means and great courage.
As soon as he was elected to the Papacy, Pope Pius XII turned to the people of Russia, which are blessed with true love of fatherland, modesty, and a real work ethic. Most of all, the Russian people share a deep affection for the most blessed Virgin.
The Pope reviews 1000 years of relations and difficulties and describes the humanitarian efforts of his predecessors, Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
and Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
for the needy and hungry populations of the soviet Union. Their efforts were stifled by a God-hating persecutors of all Christians in their country. Still, despite of these persecution
Persecution
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation,...
s, during the war, he himself would not utter one word, which could have been used unfairly, and despite strong pressures, he never approved a war against communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
or Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1941. He will not remain silent, when religion, truth or justice are at stake, since it is his deepest wish, that nations are ruled not by military might but justice. Everybody must fairly admit that he was impartial during the last war. Now, that the war is over, it is his duty to speak out and to condemn communism , but this does never mean, that the Church rejects those who err.
The Pope reminds the Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
people, that the Virgin Mary is always victorious. The gates of hell
Gates of hell
The Gates of Hell are various locations on the surface of Earth that have acquired a legendary reputation for being entrances to the underworld...
will never prevail, where she offers her protection. She is the good mother, the mother of all, and it has never been heard, that those who seek her protection, will not receive it. With this confidence, The Pope dedicates all people of Russia to the immaculate heart of the Virgin. She will help. All error and atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
will be overcome with her assistance and divine grace.
See also
- Consecration and entrustment to MaryConsecration and entrustment to MaryFor centuries, Marian devotions among Roman Catholics have included many examples of personal or collective acts of consecration and entrustment to the Virgin Mary, with the Latin terms oblatio, servitus, commendatio and dedicatio having been used in this context.Consecration is an act by which a...
- Consecration of RussiaConsecration of RussiaThe Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a belief in the Roman Catholic Church that a specific act of consecration on the part of the Pope has been required by the Virgin Mary in return for which there would be world peace....
- Mariology of Pope Pius XII