Murder in the Vatican

by Lucien Gregoire

  When he told a crowd “… God is our Father, but more so, our Mother,”13 the press inquired if a fourth person might soon be added to the Holy Trinity.

  He had a knack for explaining complex issues in a simple way. On one occasion, he took a microphone out of a cardinal’s hand and gave it to a six-year old boy as if to suggest what the child had to say was more important than what his prince of the Church had to say.

  The boy asked, “What is the difference between the left and the right? Why are they always fighting with each other? Is it because one believes in God and the other doesn’t?”

  “No,” the Pope answered, “They both believe in God. It is just that those on the right guide their lives by what someone is supposed to have said to someone else thousands of years ago.”

  “Oh,” said the boy. Puzzled by the Pope’s reply, he scratched his head “Then what do those on the left use to guide their lives?”

  “This, their conscience,” the Pope pointed to his temple.14

  When he shook hands with the communist mayor of Rome, Vatican cardinals shot vicious glances. When he hugged him, they shrugged in despair.

  On one occasion, he was reported in the tabloids as being seen in the square walking among the people wearing shorts and sandals.

  On another day he disappeared. No one could find him. Cardinal Villot sounded the alarm. After hours of searching, the Pope showed up at the Papal Palace dressed in a smock befitting a common monk.

  Villot challenged him, “Where have you been?”

  “I have been to see who is where and who is doing what. I have been to the Vatican Bank, the Patrimony of the Holy See, I stopped in and had a few words with Peter but I could not find Paul.”

  Villot warned him, “You are not to go anywhere without being escorted by guards. Do you understand? It is much too dangerous.”

  “Guards?” as if reminded of something he had put on hold for the moment, the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church told his Secretary of State, “Your eminence, I want you to issue an order the Swiss Guards are not to kneel when I approach them. I am not a God. I am a man. I am just another man.”15

  He asked, he listened, he learned. He talked, he told, he taught. He grinned, he smiled, he laughed. Above all, he hugged. Best of all, they learned to hug him back.

  He made few friends among those of rank in churches and nations, yet, he quickly won the friendship of the common man.

  His positions concerning those that practice planned parenthood, out-of-wedlock children, the remarried, homosexuals and others oppressed by doctrine were made clear,

  “A particular greeting to all who are now suffering throughout the world; to the sick, to prisoners, to exiles, to the persecuted, and particularly, to those upon whom restraints are unfairly placed by doctrine in their everyday lives.

  “Let our differences mold into one and together we shall rise to bring the world to a condition of greater justice. We call upon all of you, from the humblest who are the underpinnings of nations, to heads of state. We encourage you to build an efficacious and responsible structure for a new order, this one more just and honest… together we will muster the strength to lift those restraints that have been unfairly placed upon the everyday lives of so many innocent people by scripture and canon law… for God-given human life is infinitely more precious than is man-made doctrine.”16

  Yet, the lion’s share of his papacy was headed for the poor. From his opening embrace of the communist mayor of Rome, to the audit of the Vatican Bank, to the appraisals of the Vatican treasures, to his meeting with the KGB mediator Metropolitan Nikodim, to his covert meeting with the head of the Communist Party, to the time he said ‘Ubi Lenin, ibi Jerusalem,’ to his intent of the Puebla Conference as the liberation of the poor, to the time he told the capitalistic world, “It is the inalienable right of no man to accumulate wealth beyond his needs while others starve to death because they have nothing.”17

  Then, finally, to his last words before he retired to the great bed in the papal apartment on the evening of September 28, 1978. He told Cardinal Colombo, his long time ally in his war on poverty, “Sadly, Giovanni, when we have completed our work and everyone has enough, there will always be those who want too much.”18

  1 La Repubblica 2 Aug 78. Luciani’s response to a reporter on artificial insemination. In artificial insemination embryos are conceived in a petri dish outside the womb. The Church is opposed to the practice because diseased and genetically impaired eggs and sperm are discarded in the process resulting in their ‘death.’ For example, an egg or sperm infected with AIDS or syphilis or one containing a known genetic impairment is excluded. Today, only a few hundred of the roughly three thousand genes have been identified. Genes known to cause birth defects and known viruses are eliminated in the Intro-fertilization process. On average, an artificially inseminated child is healthier than a naturally conceived child and this difference is becoming more and more pronounced as genetic science progresses. If the job is done right, an artificially inseminated child cannot be born of known genetically transmitted impairments or disease. When all genes that cause birth defects are identified, all artificially inseminated children will be born free of genetically transmitted impairments and disease—the reasoning behind Luciani’s response. As genetic science progresses, responsible parents will resort to contraception and artificial insemination and irresponsible parents will risk children having genetic impairments and disease which would otherwise be prevented. Laws will be passed barring natural conception—every child will have an equal opportunity at a good and healthy life.

  2 The Times London 14 Aug 78. Other newspapers published similar lists without Luciani’s name

  3 L’Osservatore Romano 26 Jul 78 Because of the confusion caused by his predecessor’s action, the day after his installation, John Paul II issued a confirmation of the Pius XII decree banning artificial insemination and did it in such a way as to question the ensoulment of these children. In 1984, pressured by public opinion, he reversed the doctrine these children were without souls.

  4 The private message was never published. The nature of the message is in Luciani’s press release

  5 IL Gazzattino Venezia 21 Jul 78 variations of this release appeared in world newspapers

  6 This bit of satire is reprinted from the author’s book Lets All Get Behind the Pope…’ a book of 66 interrelated short stories – little known incidents in the lives of Albino Luciani and other famous people which caused them to rise up as champions of human justice.

  7 L’Osservatore Romano 30 Jul 78

  8 La Repubblica 2 Aug 78 Cardinal Luciani’s response to a reporter artificial insemination

  9 Princeton Packet 2 Apr 49

  10 The only information released from a conclave is the names of counters and the number of votes the winner received on the final ballot. The number of ballots is evidenced by the smoke rising from the chimney in which the voting slips and tally sheets are burned after each ballot. No written or oral record of what goes on in a conclave ever leaves a conclave. Intermediate counts are not announced to the press or the conclave—known only to the counters.

  11 The twenty-two papal tiaras are encrusted with over 1,100 diamonds and other precious gems

  12 John Paul did wear a ring given participants in the Second Vatican Council—symbolic of his intent to continue change to the Church John XXIII had begun

  13 Associated Press 7 Sep 78

  14 Associated Press 14 Sep 78

  15 Testimony of Jack Champney to author. The story is told in Roger Crane’s play The Last Confession starring David Suchet which premiered in London

  16 Associated Press 27 Aug 78 Sistine Chapel

  17 Associated Press 27 Sep 78. See film clip: www.johnpaul1.org

  18 Corriere della Sera Milan 30 Sep 78

  NOTE: See Chapter 2 for excerpts from papal audiences

  Chapter 16

  The Murder of Metropolitan Nikodim

  “There is no inner
conflict for me. It is told me by both my patron saint of state—Marx and my patron saint of faith—Christ.”

  Metropolitan Nikodim

  Boris Rotov—Metropolitan Nikodim—youthful leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, had been the chief negotiator in which the Eastern Church agreed to participate in the Second Vatican Council on the condition there would be no condemnation of either communism or atheism during the conciliar assemblies.

  It may not have been coincidence he happened to be John Paul’s first foreign visitor. Boris may have never become Metropolitan of Leningrad at the early age of 32, had it not been for Albino Luciani. As we have said, his father and Albino had met the year before he was born and had kept up a relationship.

  Boris’ father was an atheist. What’s more, Boris’ mother was also an atheist. They were both dedicated enemies of the Church.1

  One could understand how Albino, born of a mixed-bag of an atheist father and a devout mother could grow up to be a priest. Yet, it staggers the imagination to think Boris, reared entirely by atheists, could grow up to be a priest.

  One can only surmise when the elder Rotov learned Albino’s father was an atheist, he questioned how it was possible the boy could be studying to be a priest? Albino may have told him of his father’s strategy the Church could only be changed from the inside and had committed him to the task.

  Could it be, Boris’ father had given him the same commission Albino’s father had given him a few years before—change the Church back to what Christ had intended?

  Or was it coincidence both boys had been involved by chance for years in an effort to change the Church from what it had become—a pompous demonstration of ritual, wealth and ghosts—back to the church of the poor Christ had intended; Albino working the western front and Boris working the eastern front. One will never know.

  Nikodim called for the redemption of the American Christian,

  “No one said it better than Gandhi. He defined the American Christian, ‘I love your Christ. But, I do not like your Christians.’

  Here in my part of the world I must take orders from my Kremlin bosses, certainly, if not at least I am at no necessity to pretend they and I pursue the same end. For me, it is that which is told me by both my patron saint of state—Marx—and my patron saint of faith—Christ. So there is no inner conflict there for me.

  There is no originality in Marx. His word was to bring Christ into a changing world. Yet, on the other side of the world, the American part of the world, the situation is poles apart…

  In America, freedom of religion means the right to force Christian beliefs through its Christian majority on others. In Russia, we look at it differently. Here, freedom of religion is the right to believe or not to believe. Yes, it has restrictions as we are limited to practice our religions within the privacy of our homes and churches.

  Here, Christian bells and Muslim loudspeakers—the booming billboards of organized religion—are banned. In America, church bells ring out at will advertising Christianity; yet, prayers over loudspeakers in Muslim neighborhoods are banned.

  There, tax laws exempt churches imposing higher taxes on the nonbelievers. The nonbeliever pays for the believer to believe and the believer uses his tax-free advantage to persecute the nonbeliever. Preachers spend hundreds of millions collected to help the poor on radio and television time spreading hatred of Jews, blacks, atheists, homosexuals and others who don’t conform to their rules. Gestapo squads invade pubs and bedrooms and cart offenders off to prison.2

  Here, preachers are imprisoned for preaching hatred of others and we don’t invade bedrooms in the middle of the night.

  Yet, what demonstrates, most of all, America is not what it pretends to be, is its closed borders to its poor neighbors to its south. It calls itself a Christian nation, as if to say Christ would slam the door on these poor and starving children. Most brutal of all, it is Christian money and military power supplied to ruthless dictators that keeps these children who live south of its borders starving to death. ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself?’ America never heard of it…

  Free? Free? America has not the slightest conception of what the word means. Although we here don’t pretend to have it, we at least know what we are striving for—free, to be so free to that point at which one’s freedom imposes on the freedom of another…’”3

  Two cups of coffee and a few almond cookies

  On the morning of September 6, 1978 L Osservatore Romano reported. “…Cardinal Willebrands led the Metropolitan into the Pope’s private study…A delegation of Orthodox clergy assembled outside the room awaiting an audience …The Pope poured two cups of coffee placing one in front the Russian. Nikodim brought the cup to his lips he found the coffee too hot. As he set it down, he fell back into his chair grasping his throat. John Paul felt briefly for signs of life then opened the door which brought a Swiss Guard and others into the room…The archbishop had previously had heart attacks…”4

  The Washington Post said, “Nikodim repeatedly denied being a communist, yet, he has on an ongoing basis befriended the Soviet regime which has restricted religion…”5

  The Times, London, September 6, 1978

  His fluency in many languages erased a rumor an interpreter had been in the room. It was partly he was an accomplished linguist he was the Orthodox ‘president’ on the World Council of Churches.

  He was particularly fluent in Italian. He had picked it up from his father as a boy and while at the Vatican II Council (1962-64), he had adopted Rome as his second home, the reason he had spent a month in Rome before meeting with the Pope.

  John Paul, himself, true of all modern popes, was fluent in French, Italian, English and Spanish in addition to Latin.

  The first reports seemed to indicate John Paul was alone with the body—‘felt briefly for signs of life before opening the door.’ If there had been anyone else in the room they would have opened the door.

  Yet, whether or not the Pope was alone with the Metropolitan is immaterial to murder unless the toxin was in the sugar and not in the coffee. If cyanide crystals been involved, they could not have been in the pot as it may have killed the Pope when he poured the coffee.6

  Anyone close to them would know the Pope did not take sugar and the Metropolitan had a sweet tooth. Of course, this would mean Nikodim, not the Pope, as widely rumored, was the intended victim.

  That the Vatican claimed he had not tasted the coffee could have been intent to head off rumors. Yet, if he had tasted the coffee, though there are many toxins which incite heart attack, there is not one that would kill one so quickly if ingested. Cyanide in a gaseous form attacks membranes resulting in instant death.

  That he grasped his throat is consistent with cyanide. The heart is a muscle and a fatal attack strikes as a ‘charley horse’ to the heart.

  The speed with which he died is demonstrated that no newspaper reported that any effort was made at resuscitation. The first person to respond to the Pope’s call was the guard no more than three or four minutes after the seizure. Swiss Guards, in addition to being human fighting machines, are trained paramedics and schooled in CPR.7

  The press reported ‘heart attack’ in the deaths of John Paul and Nikodim. In both cases their respective churches declined autopsy.

  Yet, there was a difference. Unlike John Paul who is proved to have had no history of heart problems, Nikodim was known to have a heart condition—he had suffered as many as five previous attacks.

  Nikodim had been a competition swimmer in his youth—the reason his doctor had recommended a few laps each morning—one reason he stayed at the Jesuit compound which had an Olympic pool. It had been his powerful physical and mental stamina of his youth which had made possible his rapid rise in the Orthodox hierarchy.

  La Repubblica reported the pool boy had watched the Russian taking vigorous laps for a half-hour that morning as he had every morning without resting, but noticed nothing unusual.8

  La Stampa was less respectful. The pool boy described
Nikodim with his immense physique covered front and back with hair down to his hands resembled a water buffalo splashing through the water.9

  Yet, in Nikodim’s case, as in the Pope’s case, if one considers murder one must determine motive. Was there motive in his case?

  We have already speculated the CIA may have suspected the Pope sought Soviet arms assistance for the revolution of the poor he was about to lead in Central America. There was more than just that.

  The Metropolitan’s alliance with the Soviets had made him many enemies within the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Curia was even further to the right than was the Roman Curia in the Vatican. Nikodim represented the far left in the Russian Orthodox world.

  There were those who reasoned the meeting, behind closed doors in the Pope’s private study rather than in his public office where he normally met with dignitaries, was part of a plot to reunite the two churches. This made Nikodim the enemy of both those within the Orthodox and Roman churches who opposed ecumenism.

  One can understand why the Vatican would not opt for autopsy as it never does. Yet, why didn’t the Orthodox Church perform autopsy to dispel the rumors of the time? It wanted him out of the way?

  Because there was no autopsy one will never know if murder had been involved. Yet, if one assumes foul play not involved—he died of a natural heart attack—one must consider the mathematical odds.

  One must consider a few seconds in the span of a man’s life.

  The chance he had suffered up to five previous attacks and the one that killed him occurred at the precise moment in time he met John Paul behind closed doors. It occurred at the precise second he lifted the cup to his lips and finding it steaming succumbed to a death, so sudden, resuscitation was not considered by the Swiss Guard swiftly on the scene. So quickly, the crowd who wanted him dead did not have the chance to cheer as the ball went in the net.

  Pauper who would be Pope

  He had come onto the world’s stage, together with his secretary Lorenzi, in an outdated Lancia 2000. Had the automobile been brand new, and it was not, it would have been unbecoming a common priest, much less a prince of the Church. Its fenders had been scorched by time and for the most part it had lost its color. So much so, Swiss Guards stopped it at the Vatican gates and demanded identification. It was a tin box designed and built for paupers. Forty days later he left in a pine box designed and built for paupers.