 At a special mass at St Peters for the victims of the war , held in November 1940 , soon after the commencement of the London Blitz bombing by the Luftwaffe , Pius preached in his homily : " may the whirlwinds , that in the light of day or the dark of night , scatter terror , fire , destruction , and slaughter on helpless folk cease . May justice and charity on one side and on the other be in perfect balance , so that all injustice be repaired , the reign of right restored .... " Later he appealed to the Allies to spare Rome from aerial bombing , and visited wounded victims of the Allied bombing of 19 July 1943 . 
