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immediately prior to his death was Dr. Petacci.
Dr. Petacci and Cardinal Pacelli, according to Tisserant, immediately gave an order for the body to be embalmed.-30 This was in violation of sacred tradition. No pope has been subjected to embalming,
not even popes who had died in the midst of summer and whose
remains had badly decayed before burial.
At 6:19 A.M. Cardinal Tisserant appeared at the door to the papal
apartment. When he asked about Pius XI, he was told that the condition of the papal patient had turned "serious."31 In his journals Tisserant says that he carefully noted the time. Later he would realize
that the Holy Father had been dead for forty-nine minutes before he had been told that the pope's condition had become "serious." He
would also realize that while he and the other cardinals were sitting
outside the papal apartment praying for the pope's recovery, preparatory measures were underway for the embalming of the body.
Tisserant insists that the only individuals who entered the papal
bedroom for the next two hours were Dr. Petacci and Cardinal
Pacelli. At last, Tisserant and the other cardinals were summoned into
the papal bedroom, where Pacelli, acting in capacity as Carmerlengo
(the cardinal in charge of the Vatican when a pope dies), uttered the
official pronouncement that the pope was dead. In accordance with
tradition, Pacelli then kissed the forehead and hands of the body of
the Holy Father.
In his journals, Tisserant recalls that the face of Pius XI was "distorted" and that the body bore "strange bluish markings." He further notes that these markings seemed to be covered with a white
powder to make them appear "less blue."" Tisserant asked for an
autopsy. But his requests fell upon deaf ears. Pacelli, who as Carmerlengo remained in charge of the funeral and burial, would not grant
permission and remained "stony" and "impassable" before Tisserant's pleas.
In his journals, Tisserant drops the second bombshell by writing
in his native French, "Its lout assassine"-"They have assassinated
him." Who, according to Tisserant, were the assassins? Cardinal Tisserant clearly suspected Pacelli and Dr. Petacci, especially after he
came to discover that Petacci's daughter was Mussolini's favorite mistress-Claretta Petacci, an Italian starlet. Tisserant also believed that
Monsignor Umberto Benigni, who acted as Pacelli's secretary, was
involved in the conspiracy. His suspicion of Monsignor Benigni was
well founded. After the war, Benigni was revealed to have been an
official of the OVRA, the Fascist Secret Police, who regularly
reported developments within the Holy See to Nazi officials.33
Throughout his long career as a Prince of the Church, Tisserant
would repeat this accusation to confidants. He also expressed his fear
that Vatican officials might seize his journals after his death in order
to destroy his revelations about the encyclical and the strange events
surrounding the demise of Pius XI.
On March 2, 1939, the college of cardinals elected Eugenio
Pacelli as Pope Pius XII. It was the swiftest conclave in three hundred
years, lasting only one day. Pacelli received sufficient votes for election on the second ballot, but he asked for a third ballot to confirm
the will of the cardinal-electors. Tisserant voted against Pacelli to the
bitter end.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where
moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and
steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves
do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
Matt. 6:19-21
he Instituto per le Opere di Religione (The Institute for Works
of Religion, IOR), commonly known as "the Vatican Bank,"
is one of the world's most mysterious institutions. It operates from a
tower in the heart of Vatican City. To reach the tower you must pass
through the Santa Anna Gates to the right
Dr. Petacci and Cardinal Pacelli, according to Tisserant, immediately gave an order for the body to be embalmed.-30 This was in violation of sacred tradition. No pope has been subjected to embalming,
not even popes who had died in the midst of summer and whose
remains had badly decayed before burial.
At 6:19 A.M. Cardinal Tisserant appeared at the door to the papal
apartment. When he asked about Pius XI, he was told that the condition of the papal patient had turned "serious."31 In his journals Tisserant says that he carefully noted the time. Later he would realize
that the Holy Father had been dead for forty-nine minutes before he had been told that the pope's condition had become "serious." He
would also realize that while he and the other cardinals were sitting
outside the papal apartment praying for the pope's recovery, preparatory measures were underway for the embalming of the body.
Tisserant insists that the only individuals who entered the papal
bedroom for the next two hours were Dr. Petacci and Cardinal
Pacelli. At last, Tisserant and the other cardinals were summoned into
the papal bedroom, where Pacelli, acting in capacity as Carmerlengo
(the cardinal in charge of the Vatican when a pope dies), uttered the
official pronouncement that the pope was dead. In accordance with
tradition, Pacelli then kissed the forehead and hands of the body of
the Holy Father.
In his journals, Tisserant recalls that the face of Pius XI was "distorted" and that the body bore "strange bluish markings." He further notes that these markings seemed to be covered with a white
powder to make them appear "less blue."" Tisserant asked for an
autopsy. But his requests fell upon deaf ears. Pacelli, who as Carmerlengo remained in charge of the funeral and burial, would not grant
permission and remained "stony" and "impassable" before Tisserant's pleas.
In his journals, Tisserant drops the second bombshell by writing
in his native French, "Its lout assassine"-"They have assassinated
him." Who, according to Tisserant, were the assassins? Cardinal Tisserant clearly suspected Pacelli and Dr. Petacci, especially after he
came to discover that Petacci's daughter was Mussolini's favorite mistress-Claretta Petacci, an Italian starlet. Tisserant also believed that
Monsignor Umberto Benigni, who acted as Pacelli's secretary, was
involved in the conspiracy. His suspicion of Monsignor Benigni was
well founded. After the war, Benigni was revealed to have been an
official of the OVRA, the Fascist Secret Police, who regularly
reported developments within the Holy See to Nazi officials.33
Throughout his long career as a Prince of the Church, Tisserant
would repeat this accusation to confidants. He also expressed his fear
that Vatican officials might seize his journals after his death in order
to destroy his revelations about the encyclical and the strange events
surrounding the demise of Pius XI.
On March 2, 1939, the college of cardinals elected Eugenio
Pacelli as Pope Pius XII. It was the swiftest conclave in three hundred
years, lasting only one day. Pacelli received sufficient votes for election on the second ballot, but he asked for a third ballot to confirm
the will of the cardinal-electors. Tisserant voted against Pacelli to the
bitter end.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where
moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and
steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves
do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
Matt. 6:19-21
he Instituto per le Opere di Religione (The Institute for Works
of Religion, IOR), commonly known as "the Vatican Bank,"
is one of the world's most mysterious institutions. It operates from a
tower in the heart of Vatican City. To reach the tower you must pass
through the Santa Anna Gates to the right
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