The Pope instead stated that the Vatican offered Jews assistance in a discreet hidden way.

The Pope stated that there were still many who remained [...]]]> Pope Benedict XVI defended the Vatican during a visit to the main synagogue in Rome stating that they were not indifferent about the attempted annihilation of Jews by the Nazis during WWII.

The Pope instead stated that the Vatican offered Jews assistance in a discreet hidden way.

The Pope stated that there were still many who remained indifferent to the persecution and murder of the Jews, but stated that the Vatican did offer assistance to many in a covert fashion.

The remarks followed a comment by Riccardo Pacifici, the leader of the Roman Jewish community, in which he stated that the silence of the Pope during the Holocaust still hurts the Jews, given the fact that something should have been said.

Pacifici stated it may not have prevented the death trains from operating but it may have at least sent a signal and word of support to those who were transported to Auschwitz that the action was wrong.

This was Benedict’s third visit to a Jewish temple since he was named the Pope in 2005 and is seen by many as a gesture towards reconciliation of Jews and Catholics.

However, a few members of the Jewish community including a Holocaust survivor and a senior rabbi choose to boycott the event.

Although the Duncan Kennedy BBC centre reported that Jewish leaders are asking the Vatican to release secret archives to put the issue behind both religions, it is not likely this will happen as Pius’ the Pope at that time, is under consideration for sainthood, but as such is a contradiction, indicating that the Vatican does not want facts revealed..