Read Online The Templar's Secret (The Templar Series) by C.M. Palov - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: C.M. Palov
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gnomon and an astrolabe. The Cardinal Secretary had, rather conspicuously, positioned himself directly beneath the map of the city of Rome.
The press corps, cordoned off from the dais behind a velvet rope, was taking turns passing a microphone to various members. Having just been handed the mike, a youthful-looking reporter wearing an ill-fitting suit jacket cleared his throat, the harsh sound reverberating throughout the gallery.
‘Matt McCracken from the Baltimore Sun .’ The shaggy-haired young man held his press badge aloft, as though his credentials were in dispute. ‘It’s my understanding that there are reams of information contained in the archives pertaining to the, um – I don’t know how to put this delicately.’ Again, he cleared his throat. ‘– Pertaining to the, um, perverted pontiffs that reigned during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Will any of those documents be included in the exhibit?’
A startled hush immediately fell over the map room. It was the question that every reporter in the gallery had undoubtedly wanted to ask, but all had lacked the courage to pose. Save for the clearly nervous American.
Not missing so much as a half-beat, Cardinal Secretary Moran waved a hand in Franco’s direction. ‘Since our esteemed Prefect hails from the fair city of Baltimore, I’ll turn the question over to him.’
Franco bit back a tart reply, incensed that Moran had so effortlessly assigned him latrine duty. Slowly twisting his gold cardinal’s ring, he considered how best to respond.
For whatever reason, the lurid history of the papacy still fascinated long centuries after the fact. And because it was so lurid, Franco wasn’t going to quibble with the reporter over semantics. Those pontiffs had been perverted. Disgustingly so. Having read some of the more ‘steamy’ entries, he’d often wondered why the papal Curia hadn’t consigned the files to the flames long centuries ago. Did historians really need to know that Benedict IX engaged in bestiality and threw bisexual orgies; that John XII, who became pope at the tender age of eighteen, turned the papal residence into a brothel; or that Julius II had sexual relations with cardinals, pages and any comely male that caught his fancy? Although to the man’s credit, the degenerate Julius did manage to coerce a very reluctant Michelangelo into painting his greatest masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel.
The American journalist was also correct in that records existed, carefully archived for posterity. Would they be included in the exhibit? Absolutely not. While sex sold, under no circumstance would the Vatican expose its dark history for the price of admission.
For a Bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God.
Gathering his dignity as best he could, Franco replied, ‘As you know, the Archives contain more than thirty miles of shelving –’ he forced a smile on to his face ‘– all tied with the legendary red tape. Not only is the history of the Church contained in those files, but that of Western civilization as well. This pivotal aspect, the role the Church has played in world history, will be the focus of the upcoming exhibition.’ Answer given, Franco reached for his water bottle, silently signaling that he wouldn’t entertain a follow-up question.
The microphone was next handed to a leggy blonde who was dressed in head-to-toe Armani.
‘Sylvia Marsden with the Sun. This question is directed to the Cardinal Secretary,’ the stunning reporter announced, speaking with a plummy English accent. ‘Your Eminence, as you know, the election of the next pontiff is a matter of grave importance. Are you aware of the fact that the William Hill international gambling service currently has you listed as the hands-on favorite for becoming the new pontiff at nine-to-four odds?’
The question elicited more than a few shocked gasps, Franco aghast that anyone had the effrontery to pose such a crass inquiry. The upcoming papal
The press corps, cordoned off from the dais behind a velvet rope, was taking turns passing a microphone to various members. Having just been handed the mike, a youthful-looking reporter wearing an ill-fitting suit jacket cleared his throat, the harsh sound reverberating throughout the gallery.
‘Matt McCracken from the Baltimore Sun .’ The shaggy-haired young man held his press badge aloft, as though his credentials were in dispute. ‘It’s my understanding that there are reams of information contained in the archives pertaining to the, um – I don’t know how to put this delicately.’ Again, he cleared his throat. ‘– Pertaining to the, um, perverted pontiffs that reigned during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Will any of those documents be included in the exhibit?’
A startled hush immediately fell over the map room. It was the question that every reporter in the gallery had undoubtedly wanted to ask, but all had lacked the courage to pose. Save for the clearly nervous American.
Not missing so much as a half-beat, Cardinal Secretary Moran waved a hand in Franco’s direction. ‘Since our esteemed Prefect hails from the fair city of Baltimore, I’ll turn the question over to him.’
Franco bit back a tart reply, incensed that Moran had so effortlessly assigned him latrine duty. Slowly twisting his gold cardinal’s ring, he considered how best to respond.
For whatever reason, the lurid history of the papacy still fascinated long centuries after the fact. And because it was so lurid, Franco wasn’t going to quibble with the reporter over semantics. Those pontiffs had been perverted. Disgustingly so. Having read some of the more ‘steamy’ entries, he’d often wondered why the papal Curia hadn’t consigned the files to the flames long centuries ago. Did historians really need to know that Benedict IX engaged in bestiality and threw bisexual orgies; that John XII, who became pope at the tender age of eighteen, turned the papal residence into a brothel; or that Julius II had sexual relations with cardinals, pages and any comely male that caught his fancy? Although to the man’s credit, the degenerate Julius did manage to coerce a very reluctant Michelangelo into painting his greatest masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel.
The American journalist was also correct in that records existed, carefully archived for posterity. Would they be included in the exhibit? Absolutely not. While sex sold, under no circumstance would the Vatican expose its dark history for the price of admission.
For a Bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God.
Gathering his dignity as best he could, Franco replied, ‘As you know, the Archives contain more than thirty miles of shelving –’ he forced a smile on to his face ‘– all tied with the legendary red tape. Not only is the history of the Church contained in those files, but that of Western civilization as well. This pivotal aspect, the role the Church has played in world history, will be the focus of the upcoming exhibition.’ Answer given, Franco reached for his water bottle, silently signaling that he wouldn’t entertain a follow-up question.
The microphone was next handed to a leggy blonde who was dressed in head-to-toe Armani.
‘Sylvia Marsden with the Sun. This question is directed to the Cardinal Secretary,’ the stunning reporter announced, speaking with a plummy English accent. ‘Your Eminence, as you know, the election of the next pontiff is a matter of grave importance. Are you aware of the fact that the William Hill international gambling service currently has you listed as the hands-on favorite for becoming the new pontiff at nine-to-four odds?’
The question elicited more than a few shocked gasps, Franco aghast that anyone had the effrontery to pose such a crass inquiry. The upcoming papal
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