Murder in the Vatican

by Lucien Gregoire

Although cardinals are forbidden to allow personal relationships to influence their vote, there is nothing in the rules prohibiting lobbying, nominating, negotiating, politicking or even tallying of votes before a conclave begins, provided it is done privately.

  In that popes in recent history have been elected on either the first or second day, it is obvious the cardinals have already known the choice when the conclaves began. Otherwise, in a secret election as required by conclave rules, it would take years before anyone would by chance come up with two-thirds of the votes.

  Once a conclave convenes, however, the rules tighten up. Unlike what the media, fiction writers and Hollywood might portray, no lobbying, nominating or politicking is permitted—only silent prayer.

  Yet, rules have changed from time to time. At one time, cardinals were permitted to be accompanied by aides and other assistance.

  In 1976, Paul tightened up the rules, making the 1978 conclaves the most covert in history. He restricted attendance to the cardinals.

  The seating arrangement

  There is a supposition based on innocent Vatican releases that have reported the winner has been consistently seated in the center chair of the first table on the St. Peter’s side of the Sistine Chapel.

  These same press releases through the years have also confirmed that the most likely runner-up was seated in the center chair of the first table on the opposite side of the Chapel.

  This would suggest that at the end of each ballot, the counters place the leading vote getters in a prearranged seating arrangement.

  For example, in the election that chose Montini in 1963, The Times reported, “…The Secretary of State approached the cardinal of Milan who was seated in the center of the first row and opposite him was Cardinal Siri of Genoa…” and in Luciani’s election, “…Cardinal Villot came to the cardinal bishop in the center seat. Directly opposite him was Karol Wojtyla of Poland…” and, again, in Wojtyla’s election, “… Villot placed his hand on the shoulder of the Polish cardinal who was seated in the center chair…”16

  Media mayhem

  There is no other major world event in which the public is more vulnerable to the press than is a papal election.

  The reason is that no one, other than the participating cardinals, knows what goes on in a conclave. This affords the press the chance to sensationalize events beyond one’s wildest imagination.

  Despite the fact Paul had named Luciani his successor and had made many strategic moves publicly to that end, no newspaper in the world considered him a candidate. Despite The Times knew Wojtyla had campaigned around the globe and had, itself, reported Wojtyla had been seated in the runner-up chair in the Luciani election, it did not consider him to be a factor in the second conclave of 1978.

  Despite that it had published a list of a dozen candidates led by Benelli and Siri in each election and not listed either Luciani or Wojtyla, the day Wojtyla was elected, it reported, “…Benelli fell five votes short on the first ballot…The conclave then turned to Colombo who took himself out of the race…Unable to decide on an Italian cardinal on the first day, the College decided to look elsewhere and elected the Polish cardinal on the second day.”17

  How did The Times possibly know this?

  No one knows the name of the cardinal who leaked this to The Times. In reality, no cardinal leaked it to The Times. It made it up.

  Yet, everyone believes this to this day despite that no one other than the cardinals know what took place. Everyone believes this to this day despite that the media had demonstrated in its predictions it knows nothing about what goes on when a pope is elected.

  This not only fails to explain the question why the same cardinals elected a liberal in one election and elected a conservative a few weeks later; it makes it even more absurd. In one ballot, almost two-thirds of the conclave voted for a liberal—Benelli—and, a few hours later, more than two-thirds of them elected a conservative—Wojtyla.

  Benelli was even further to the left than was Luciani.

  Concerning matters like sanctification of remarriage, for example, Luciani would have moved authority to the bishop level; Benelli would have moved authority to the individuals involved.

  The press would have one believe the Polish cardinal had not been considered at all on the first day, and, on the second day, despite cardinals are not permitted to lobby, nominate or politick under the conclave rules, made a complete about-face and switched from a liberal to a conservative on the spur of the moment.

  This is not to say, despite the rules, some chatting does go on between ballots and this chatting can gain a few votes for candidates, but surely never a gain of two-thirds of the votes in a single windfall.

  Yet, this is how books and motion pictures have described the election of John Paul II ever since, “…Unable to decide upon an Italian cardinal on the first day, the College decided to look elsewhere and elected the Polish cardinal on the second day.”17

  This is just not how the real world works.

  ‘Luciani was elected on the fourth ballot on the first day’

  Prior to 1978, the number of ballots had never been announced in papal elections as conclave rules required burning of the ballots after each vote. It was no secret as the number of puffs of smoke from the Sistine Chapel told the world how many ballots had been cast.

  John XXIII’s election involved only 53 voters and took four days and eleven puffs of smoke—eleven ballots—as many as three ballots a day. Paul Vl’s election involved 87 voters and took three days and six puffs of smoke—six ballots—as many as three ballots a day.

  In each case, one puff of smoke bellowed on the first day.

  There was no change in the 1978 rules concerning the burning of ballots—they were required to be burned after each vote.

  On the day Luciani was elected, two puffs of smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel, the last one as the sun went down in the west. It was obvious to all, Luciani was elected on the first ballot and a second vote had been taken in an attempt to make the election unanimous.

  World newspapers speculated the election had been prearranged. Luciani had been elected in the days leading up to the conclave.

  To cover up the politicking that goes on between the death of a pope and the ensuing conclave, Vatican Radio reacting quickly to this ‘misconception.’ On the following day, it reported, “John Paul the First was elected on the fourth ballot on the first day…”18

  This is what got into the history books, ‘Luciani was elected on the fourth ballot on the first day.’ Despite that under the conclave rules of 1978, ballots were required to be burned after each ballot.

  Despite that in previous elections, with half as many voters, the cardinals had found time for only one vote on the first day.

  The number of ballots

  Aside from the puffs of smoke, a simple process of mathematics proves Luciani was elected on the first ballot.

  Proceedings of the first day19 required a minimum of five hours:

  Mass in St. Peter’s

  Veni Creator Spiritus Procession The sealing of the conclave

  Camerlengo leads the cardinals in the reading of the oath of secrecy

  Invocation prayer – Cardinal Secretary of State

  The reading of the rules of election – Camerlengo

  The elections of the counters

  Oaths of the counters

  Lunch including restroom privileges

  Sermons by the senior Cardinal Deacon, the senior Cardinal Priest and the senior Cardinal Bishop take place anytime during the first day

  Balloting according to the rules of the 1978 conclave

  The Times London October 15, 1978

  The 1978 conclave rules called for two rounds of voting per day except for the morning of the first day.

  A 111 cardinal conclave—a minute and a half each yields 166 minutes or two and three-quarter hours per ballot—plus scrutinizing, counting, burning of ballots—three to four hours per ballot.

  Each slip has t
he name of the voting cardinal (preprinted) and the name of the cardinal he voted for (handwritten). The scrutinizers check each slip to be certain a cardinal has not voted for himself.

  If the number of slips does not agree with the number of voting cardinals or if the count fails the ballots together with tally slips and any notes taken are burned together with a chemical which produces a puff of black smoke from the Sistine Chapel.

  If a candidate gains two thirds plus one vote the ballots are recounted and then scrutinized again to be sure the winner did not vote for himself and final checks and balances are made. The count is verified by the Camerlengo and the ballots are burned with straw producing a puff of white smoke—a new pope has been elected.

  The number of ballots possible in a 111 cardinal conclave is one or possibly two on the first day. The maximum number of ballots on succeeding days is four. So one knows there could not have been four ballots on the first day of Luciani’s election. The Vatican lied.

  We are speaking of the rules that governed the 1978 conclaves.

  In 1996, reflecting the number of daily ballots possible in a 120 cardinal conclave, John Paul II changed the rules—one ballot on the first day and four ballots on succeeding days. The ballots would no longer be burned after each vote; they would be burned twice a day.

  Luciani’s election involved 111 voters and two ballots. Luciani was elected on the first ballot, the second ballot being an attempt to secure a unanimous vote. As the cardinals entered the conclave, they already knew who they were going to vote for—and why.

  In the election of 2005, Joseph Ratzinger was the overwhelming favorite as he had been elected by the same cardinals to be the ranking cardinal—Dean of the College of Cardinals—in 2002. That they had elected him to the second ranking job in the Catholic world it make sense they would elect him to the top job.

  It was a surprise to the press when a puff of smoke appeared late the first day and the results were not announced until the second day. It reasoned Ratzinger, having won the election on the first ballot, asked that recounts be taken on the second day.

  Like Luciani, Joseph Ratzinger also won on the first ballot. The cardinals already knew who they were going to vote for before they entered the conclave—and why.

  This will continue to be true of all future papal elections as long as conclave rules prohibit the lobbying, nominating politicking and tallying of votes that goes on when a pope is elected.

  It was also true of John Paul II.

  ‘Wojtyla was elected on the eighth ballot on the second day’

  Though deliberations leading up to the conclave which elected Luciani were widely reported in the press, those leading up to Wojtyla’s election were mostly kept under the table to avoid the rumors which had surfaced concerning Luciani’s election.

  The media had attributed Luciani’s ‘quick’ election to lobbying, nominating and tallying of votes before the conclave opened.

  One journalist gave a convincing report the election of Luciani had actually taken place over beer and wine at L’Eau Vive. He cited a newspaper article confirming dozens of key cardinals had enjoyed festivities at the quaint French restaurant behind the Pantheon for eight hours just two days before Luciani was elected.20

  Then there is the famous comment of Cardinal Delargey to a reporter as he entered the conclave, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 21

  This seemed to be confirmed by Luciani, himself, in his first pontifical words to his newly acquired congregation, “A funny thing happened on the way to the conclave”22 implying the cardinals had already decided on the winner before the conclave opened.

  To prevent a recurrence of what had happened in his case, actions were taken to restrict gatherings of cardinals in Rome. No cardinals showed up at L’Eau Vive or other traditional haunts of the red caps in Rome in the days leading up to the second conclave of 1978.

  The most one could come up with was that a group of cardinals attended a private Mass and gathered for the afternoon in the Church of Saint Andrew’s at Quirinal on October 8, 1978, the last Sunday before the conclave that elected John Paul II convened.

  The group—representative of moderates and conservatives in the conclave—included Wojtyla, Siri, Cody and Krol, Arns of Brazil, Gantin of Africa and Curia cardinals Hume, Baggio and Poletti. Among those not cardinals, were Wojtyla’s seminary roommate bishop Deskur and Polish Bishop Rubin—Secretary of the Synod of Bishops—and Caprio and Casaroli and a few others.23

  It is its St. Stanislaus Kostka Chapel that makes this church on Quirinal Hill in Rome a tourist attraction. Stanislaus—a 16th century Polish Jesuit novice—was Wojtyla’s chosen saint.

  It is said the Holy Spirit works in strange and mysterious ways. Perhaps, ‘He’ had already picked Karol for the top job?

  One will never know.

  Newspapers did report pre-conclave collaborations in the Vatican customary of all papal elections.

  Washington Post October 17, 1978

  In announcing Karol Wojtyla’s election, the Vatican reported ‘John Paul II was elected on the eighth ballot on the second day.’23

  For starters, one knows there could have only been one vote—at the most two votes—on the first day. The Vatican lied again.

  Yet, this is what history has recorded, ‘John Paul II was elected on the eighth ballot on the second day.’

  The Polish Pope confirmed the number of ballots possible on the first day of a 120 cardinal conclave in his 1996 change in conclave rules—‘one ballot on the first day, four ballots on succeeding days.’

  The myth “The cardinals, unable to agree on an Italian cardinal on the first day, decided to look elsewhere on the second day” rests on the supposition there had been four ballots on the first day.

  The process of mathematics tells us there was only one ballot on the first day—certainly not nearly enough to conclude ‘…unable to agree on an Italian cardinal on the first day.’

  Nevertheless, Karol Wojtyla, like Albino Luciani before him and Joseph Ratzinger after him, already had the votes he needed to win when the conclave that elected him opened on the first day.

  He was elected on the first day of the conclave that elected him.

  The election was announced on the second day to obscure the politicking that goes on before the conclave opened.

  This will continue to be true of future elections. The candidate will be elected on the first ballot on the first day, yet, it will be announced on the second day to obscure the politicking that goes on when a pope is elected.

  Perhaps, at times, to obscure when the politicking that goes on when a pope is elected turns to murder.

  Philadelphia Inquirer August 27, 1978

  1 L’Osservatore Romano 15 Jan 53 - The Times, London 25 Jan 53

  2 search: cardinal consistories 1953

  3 La Repubblica 16 Jan 53

  4 La Repubblica 16 Dec 58 or search: cardinal consistories xx century

  5 La Repubblica 16 Dec 58 or search: Albino Luciani reputable biographies

  6 La Repubblica 16 Dec 69

  7 L’Osservatore Romano 6 Aug 67

  8 Veneto Nostro 26 Dec 67 - La Repubblica 2 Apr 72

  9 Harambee Wikipedia

  10 The Way Escriva - Mein Kampf Adolph Hitler

  11 Metro Madrid 2 Mar 41

  12 IL Mondo 7 May 47 The recorded count is 4 million, total count estimated at 6 million

  13 Odessa File Frederick Forsyth

  14 Messaggero Mestre 3 Feb 78

  15 Corriere della Sera 2 Mar 78

  16 The Times, London 22 Jun 63 – 27 Aug 78 – 17 Oct 78

  17 The Times, London 18 Oct 78

  18 Vatican Radio 28 Aug 78

  19 Catholic Encyclopedia and canon 1978 conclave rules

  20 La Stampa 28 Aug 78

  21 La Mondo 27 Aug 78

  22 La Repubblica 4 Sep 78

  23 Vatican Radio 18 Oct 78

  24 La Repubblica 9 Oct 78

  Chapter 12

  The Murder
s of Cardinals Filipiak and Gracias

  Two days before Pope Paul’s funeral, the Interim Pope received almost identical telegrams from opposite sides of the globe.

  Jean Cardinal Villot, Sovereign State of the Vatican

  Most Holy Eminence,

  As we prepared to go to the airport, today, His Eminence was stricken with severe stomach pain. We had to return to Bombay.

  I will keep you advised on his recovery; that he will attend the conclave.

  Raj Sharma

  Secretary Valerian Gracias, Primate of India.

  Jean Cardinal Villot, Sovereign State of the Vatican

  Most Holy Eminence,

  On the way to the airport, today, His Eminence was stricken with severe stomach pain. We had to return to Gniezno.

  I will keep you advised. We expect he will attend the upcoming conclave.

  Kolab Mizenski

  Secretary Boleshaw Filipiak, Archbishop of Gniezno.

  Gracias died midway through John Paul’s papacy in a Bombay Catholic hospital of an ailment the press reported doctors were unable to diagnose and therefore could not treat. His death certificate reads ‘inoperable adenocarcinoma of stomach area’—cancer.1

  Filipiak died on the day before his lifelong enemy Karol Wojtyla was elected to the papacy. Cause of death has never been disclosed either by the Vatican or the press.2

  1 Maharashtra Times 16 Sep 78 The Vatican can control what goes on a death certificate in a Catholic hospital. Gracias’ certificate has the identical wording ‘inoperable adenocarcinoma of stomach area’ of Cardinal Delargey death certificate also stricken during the 1978 conclaves

  2 Catholic Encyclopedia 2nd Edition.

  Chapter 13

  The Murder of Cardinal Yu Pin

  There were some events that surrounded the funeral of Paul VI that may have been related to the first conclave of 1978.

  The day before Paul’s funeral, Belgium radio announced Leon Joseph Cardinal Suenens, Primate of Belgium, had been killed by a falling section of an aging building façade in Brussels. The radio report, based on eyewitnesses of the event, was premature.1

  It had been a visiting French bishop that had been killed. It had been that the incident occurred near the cardinal’s palace and the bishop was wearing black garb topped off with a red zucchetto that caused witnesses to mistake him for the cardinal.