Critics have accused Ven. Pius XII of indifference to the plight of the Jewish people during World War II, despite several already public documents which show the pope's systematic efforts to assist Jews in Italy.
Historian Johan Ickx, director of the historical archive of the Secretariat of State's section for relations with states, noted that many documents from Ven. Pius XII's pontificate have already been made public.
When Pius XII's cause for beatification was opened in 1967, St. Paul VI formed a committee of historians to study his predecessor's life and behavior, especially the events of World War II.
The committee's work led to the publication of "Actes et Documents du Saint Siège relatifs à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale" (Acts and Documents of the Holy See related to the Second World War), an 11-volume collection of documents about Pius XII's papacy during that tumultuous time.
"Now, our material will add other things, other elements," Ickx said. "This opening will, in fact, yet change something. … to understand better the truth of things. This is for sure."
He added that more information will be known "from March 2 onward."
Pagano said he fears any quick answers that may come, because some "little-prepared" scholars may come to the archive looking for a "scoop" of some sort.
"A serious scholar should take into account 10 years of study more or less," he stated.
Hannah Brockhaus is Catholic News Agency's senior Rome correspondent. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.