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Pope Pius XI

Pope Pius XI

1857 CE1939 CE · Modern · Milan

Born Achille Ratti, a scholar and former Vatican librarian, Pius XI guided the Church through the turbulent interwar years. In 1929 he signed the Lateran Treaty with Mussolini's Italy, resolving the Roman Question and creating the sovereign Vatican City State. He concluded concordats with several states, including Germany in 1933, but later sharply criticized totalitarianism: his 1937 encyclicals condemned Nazi racial ideology (Mit brennender Sorge) and atheistic communism (Divini Redemptoris). He promoted Catholic Action, the missions, and devotion to Christ the King. His pontificate balanced pragmatic diplomacy with growing moral resistance to fascist and Nazi regimes.

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Stop 0 of 31857–1875Born

MilanItaly

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About Milan

Milan is a northern Italian city that served as the western capital of the Roman Empire and became a pivotal center of early Christianity through its influential bishopric.

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Pope St. Paul VI

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