VATICAN, Rome — Archbishop Sergio Pagano, the Vatican’s longtime archivist, is expected to reveal shocking details about the Holy See’s clandestine operations in his soon-to-be published book, appropriately named “Secretum.” Pagano, who oversaw the Vatican Apostolic Archive for 45 years, is prepared to share little-known and unrevealed information that sheds light on some of the most fascinating tales that span 12 centuries.
The Vatican, which is renowned for having fabled secret archives, has recently tried to explain what it has. An aura of mystery has lingered despite efforts to make files public, refute rumours, and drop the word “Secret” from its official name. Now, in an exclusive interview ahead of his expected retirement, Archbishop Pagano provides a glimpse into the fascinating revelations contained in his upcoming book.
From Napoleon’s audacious raid on the archive in 1810 to the Galileo affair and the peculiar 1922 conclave financed by last-minute donations from U.S. Catholics, Pagano offers a captivating narrative. The book, set to be published on Tuesday, presents Pagano’s encounters with the Holy See’s historical secrets, bringing to light lesser-known aspects of its relations with the outside world.
Archbishop Pagano, aged 75, states, “It’s the first time, and it will also be the last because I’m about to leave,” underscoring the exclusivity of his revelations. Pagano is in charge of a treasure wealth of records that come from collections of aristocratic families, religious organisations, and Vatican embassies around the world, with the Vatican Apostolic Archive having 85 km of shelves.
Scholarly attention has recently been drawn to the records of Pope Pius XII, who was a wartime pope who came under fire for what was thought to be his silence on the Holocaust. Pope Francis expedited the opening of these documents in 2020 to provide a comprehensive understanding of Pius XII’s pontificate. Pagano, known for his candidness, criticizes Pius XII’s post-war silence on Nazi atrocities.
Pagano’s revelations extend to the incomplete research behind Pius XII’s sainthood cause, shedding light on the lack of firsthand exploration of the Apostolic Archive by the Jesuit researchers compiling the dossier. His disdain for the incomplete research raises questions about the timing of Pius XII’s potential canonization.
Beyond the well-known stories of Vatican intrigue, Pagano unveils novelties such as the financial relationship between the U.S. church and the Vatican, originating from the 1922 conclave. He details a cash crunch faced by the Holy See after Pope Benedict XV’s death, prompting urgent financial aid from U.S. Catholics to fund the conclave.
Pagano suggests that Pope Francis’ decision to rename the archive in 2019 may have been a financial nod to the U.S. church, aiming to remove negative connotations and encourage donations. The book reproduces encrypted telegrams revealing the U.S. church’s generous contribution to the Vatican during the 1922 conclave.
In a final flourish, Pagano proudly displays a 1530 letter from British nobles urging Pope Clement VII to grant King Henry VIII an annulment—a document that survived Napoleon’s 1810 raid, concealed in a secret drawer.
As the Vatican’s secrets come to light, Archbishop Pagano’s revelations promise an enthralling journey through centuries of hidden history.
