Víra proti ideologii. Pius XII. a jeho postoj ke komunismu
Faith versus ideology. Pius XII and his stance on communism

Summary/Abstract: During his pontificate, Pope Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli, 1939–1958) was faced with the expansion of Soviet communism, which posed a serious threat to both religious freedom and the existence of the Church. Convinced that Marxist-Leninist ideology was incompatible with the Christian conception of humanity and society, he opposed this threat by combining criticism of totalitarian practices with diplomatic caution and the protection of Church interests. His anti-communist stance and enduring scepticism towards revolutionary ideologies that threatened individual freedom and the spiritual order of society had taken shape by the interwar period (he witnessed an attempt at a communist revolution while serving as apostolic nuncio in Munich). Consequently, during his pontificate, he resolutely protected Church structures and supported believers in regions controlled by communist regimes. In Italy in 1948, Pius XII mobilised the Catholic population against the Communist Party. The following year, he issued a decree of excommunication against Catholics who actively supported communism. However, Pius’s stance cannot be reduced to mere political strategy: he was primarily concerned with defending Christian values, human dignity and the cultural identity of the West. In addition to providing a comprehensive discussion of Pius XII’s relationship with communism divided into the interwar, wartime and post-war periods, this study offers a balanced evaluation of how the Pope’s reign has been treated in modern historical writing.

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