video, Franz Laurenz appears physically healthy. He speaks freely, in Italian, into the camera. He discounts press speculation that he is being held against his will, but other than that, we don’t learn much. Franz Laurenz does not give a plausible explanation for his resignation. If anything, the speech raises more questions than it answers. Unclear, ponderous, and contradictory in its wording, the speech is likely to fuel the rumors about the former Pope’s alleged mental illness. Other rumors claim that the Pope resigned to forestall the exposure of his longtime love affair with confidante Sophia Eichner. Since the abdication of the Pope, Sophia Eichner has disappeared without a trace. However, Laurenz does not address this matter, either. He simply perplexes believers all over the world with unctuous sermons that are very unlike Pope John Paul III’s usual speeches. It is probable that conspiracy theories will proliferate, and we are left with a stale taste in our mouths just days before the conclave begins. The Vatican is well advised to bring some clarity into the Causa Laurenz , unless it wants to bear the consequences of lasting damage to the Church.
X
May 9, 2011, Rome
S hortly after Peter Adam had emailed the article to his office in Hamburg, he left the hotel and walked over to the Vatican. The exercise and the mild spring air lightened his mood instantly. After all, he was still in Rome, in the Eternal City, the city that he loved. The unexpected video that had aired during the RAI I morning news had left him with little time to reflect on his dream of the night before. At some point, he had woken on the floor of his hotel room, naked and freezing, moaning as he struggled to get up. He had tried to recall his dream. Usually these efforts proved futile. He knew that his dreams were always about narrow spaces, darkness and drowning, and had been plaguing him for years. Peter knew precisely why. He knew he had to be careful.
However, this time he also recalled chaotic images of the destruction of St. Peter’s Basilica and the whole Vatican. And he had an astonishingly clear recollection of a tearful voice coming from the radio, including the exact words that it had spoken.
Peter tried to suppress his thoughts of the dream and to focus on his upcoming conversation with Don Luigi. In any case, he believed that dreams were just some sort of digestive process for the brain. The more absurd and the more frightening the dreams were, the clearer the mind was afterwards.
The ringing of his cell phone startled him. He felt almost relieved, and this time didn’t just ignore the call.
»Loretta! I was about to call you.«
»Don’t lie to me.« Her voice sounded upset. »Why haven’t you called me back?«
»I was busy, I had to write an article.«
»What do you think about the whole thing?«
»Are you talking about this video? Weird. Very weird.« Peter continued to walk towards the direction of St. Peter’s Basilica. »I think he’s bullshitting us.«
»I couldn’t have put it better myself,« Loretta replied cynically. »The people at the TV station analyzed the video. You can see cypress trees through the window in the background. I’m telling you, he’s still here, somewhere close by.«
»What do you want, Loretta?«
»Why aren’t you introducing me to your friend Luigi?«
»I’m actually on my way to meet him now.«
»And why the hell aren’t you taking me with you?«
»Please, Loretta. That’s not how these things work. Trust me, as soon as I find something out, you’ll be the first to know. I promise.«
»Just don’t mess with me, darling.«
When he reached St. Peter’s Square, Peter turned left and followed the Vatican walls to the Petrine Gate, an entrance that was less frequented by tourists. As he was walking, Peter touched the fortified walls surrounding Vatican City. He liked the protective wall. Twelve feet wide, sixteen and a half feet high, and eleven thousand two hundred
X
May 9, 2011, Rome
S hortly after Peter Adam had emailed the article to his office in Hamburg, he left the hotel and walked over to the Vatican. The exercise and the mild spring air lightened his mood instantly. After all, he was still in Rome, in the Eternal City, the city that he loved. The unexpected video that had aired during the RAI I morning news had left him with little time to reflect on his dream of the night before. At some point, he had woken on the floor of his hotel room, naked and freezing, moaning as he struggled to get up. He had tried to recall his dream. Usually these efforts proved futile. He knew that his dreams were always about narrow spaces, darkness and drowning, and had been plaguing him for years. Peter knew precisely why. He knew he had to be careful.
However, this time he also recalled chaotic images of the destruction of St. Peter’s Basilica and the whole Vatican. And he had an astonishingly clear recollection of a tearful voice coming from the radio, including the exact words that it had spoken.
Peter tried to suppress his thoughts of the dream and to focus on his upcoming conversation with Don Luigi. In any case, he believed that dreams were just some sort of digestive process for the brain. The more absurd and the more frightening the dreams were, the clearer the mind was afterwards.
The ringing of his cell phone startled him. He felt almost relieved, and this time didn’t just ignore the call.
»Loretta! I was about to call you.«
»Don’t lie to me.« Her voice sounded upset. »Why haven’t you called me back?«
»I was busy, I had to write an article.«
»What do you think about the whole thing?«
»Are you talking about this video? Weird. Very weird.« Peter continued to walk towards the direction of St. Peter’s Basilica. »I think he’s bullshitting us.«
»I couldn’t have put it better myself,« Loretta replied cynically. »The people at the TV station analyzed the video. You can see cypress trees through the window in the background. I’m telling you, he’s still here, somewhere close by.«
»What do you want, Loretta?«
»Why aren’t you introducing me to your friend Luigi?«
»I’m actually on my way to meet him now.«
»And why the hell aren’t you taking me with you?«
»Please, Loretta. That’s not how these things work. Trust me, as soon as I find something out, you’ll be the first to know. I promise.«
»Just don’t mess with me, darling.«
When he reached St. Peter’s Square, Peter turned left and followed the Vatican walls to the Petrine Gate, an entrance that was less frequented by tourists. As he was walking, Peter touched the fortified walls surrounding Vatican City. He liked the protective wall. Twelve feet wide, sixteen and a half feet high, and eleven thousand two hundred
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