Date of Completion

5-1-2026

Thesis Advisor(s)

Thomas Maulucci

Honors Major

History

Disciplines

Diplomatic History

Abstract

From the negotiations over the 1929 Lateran Accords to the start of World War II in 1939, the Holy See delicately navigated a turbulent diplomatic period. In the preceding century, the Catholic Church saw much of its temporal power decline as European states became more secular, and the pope lost the Papal States during the Risorgimento. Amid the decline in station, the rise of atheistic communism in Russia, Mexico, and Spain posed an existential to the Church, which Pope Pius XI would challenge during his pontificate. To confront this threat, he would work alongside Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany to form a bulwark against communism. This brief period of cooperation would break down as the fascist states asserted greater totalitarian control over their societies, threatening the Church and her associated organizations like Catholic Action. Pius XI would condemn injustices against the Church through his encyclicals, further drawing the ire of Hitler and Mussolini. The fracture in relations was moderated by forces within the Church, in particular, members of the Jesuit Order, who wanted the Vatican to maintain strong relations with the fascist states to defend against the communist threat. Ultimately, this paper tries to understand why the Vatican sought to cooperate with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, and then why Pius sought to distance the Church from the fascist governments.

Accessibility Requirements

1

Download

Share

COinS