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Pius XII

American  

noun

  1. Eugenio Pacelli, 1876–1958, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1939–58.


Pius XII British  

noun

  1. original name Eugenio Pacelli. 1876–1958, Italian ecclesiastic; pope (1939–58): his attitude towards Nazi German anti-Semitism has been a matter of controversy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In 1947 Truman reached out to Pope Pius XII, pledging to work with the holy father for “an enduring peace,” and assured the pope that the U.S. “is a Christian Nation.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

He angered Jewish leaders when he signed a decree in 2009 that allowed Pope Pius XII, who served from 1939 to 1958, to become a candidate for sainthood.

From Washington Post • Dec. 31, 2022

The pope said two of his predecessors, Pope Pius XII and Saint Pope Paul VI, had each signed similar letters in case of permanent impairment.

From Washington Times • Dec. 18, 2022

The released volumes are only a small part of the archives pertaining to Pius XII, whose pontificate ran from 1939 to 1958.

From New York Times • Jun. 24, 2022

The nun drew her pointer to the chart in front of the classroom where the line of popes connected the name of St. Peter to that of Pope Pius XII.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

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