What is this curse and how secret are these 1000 old apocalyptic docuмents?
Sounds like the basis for another Dan Brown novel.
Good, old trusty
examiner.com says HuffPo relayed curse, but I think
the NYPost picked it up first (or best?):
The relics were discovered during excavations begun under St. Peter’s Basilica in the years following the 1939 death of Pope Pius XI, who had asked to be buried in the grottoes where dozens of popes are buried, according to the 2012 book by veteran Vatican correspondent Bruno Bartoloni, “The Ears of the Vatican.”
During the excavations, archaeologists discovered a funerary monument with a casket built in honor of Peter and an engraving in Greek that read “Petros eni,” or “Peter is here.”
...
The scholar of Greek antiquities, Margherita Guarducci, who had deciphered the engraving continued to investigate and learned that one of the basilica workers had been given the remains found inside the casket and stored them in a shoe box kept in a cupboard. She reported her findings to Paul VI who later proclaimed that there was a “convincing” argument that the bones belonged to Peter.
Top Vatican Jesuits and other archaeologists strongly denied the claim, but had little recourse.
I love it. Imagine you're digging around the Vatican to plant a newly-dead Holy Father, but you find a box: "Huh, says here, 'Peter is HERE.'" His buddy says, "
Dude, that might be some guy named Peter's TOYS! Ditch the fancy box, but take those cool marbles in there home and show the bambinos!" Worker agrees: "Sounds legit!"
Montini: "Uh, the box said '
Peter is here'? But it's EMPTY! Okay, bring that mess BACK! Let's take a peek see!" [rubs hands together excitedly] "Might be some cool dude!"
Worker's kid: "But papaaaaaa! They're MINE! I was playing marbles with them! My life's no fair!"
Worker: "Son, have you SEEN the new 'holy father'? Those eyebrows? Give him the marbles! NOW! —Honey, pack up. We're moving to Spain."
Montini gets the 9 marbles ("bone fragments", though they make them sound like rings in the articles), starts playing the marbles game, and SOMEWHERE IN HERE some "convincing apocalyptic docuмents" (read: "The Gospel of Brutus") is brought into the Vatican at TOP SPEED: "Hey! Don't mess with those! Brutus says that's BAD LUCK!"
Montini: "Who dat?"
Bugnini: "Brutus?! He was
the 13th Secret Apostle! :O It's a GIANT BIG SECRET!"
Montini screams in a high pitch and tosses his marbles.
Apparently you have to buy
Dan Brown's Bartoloni's book to read about the curse (I completely made up "the Gospel of Brutus" because I'm not giving Rome another dime ever and buying into that "secret apocalyptic" stuff from 1000 years ago.) BUT, the Post dropped some hints:
“No Pope had ever permitted an exhaustive study, partly because a 1,000-year-old curse attested by secret and apocalyptic docuмents, threatened anyone who disturbed the peace of Peter’s tomb with the worst possible misfortune,” Bartoloni wrote.
I guess Bart's got the apocalyptic docuмents that are 1000 years old; I'm guessing "Gospel of Brutus" because it's only a thousand years old (not two thousand), and Margherita didn't even care; just kept checking out the engraving ("Peter is here"), so no apocalyptic docuмents from the actual burial site. BUT! :shocked: Montini was VERY CONVINCED of something, and let the 9 pieces of bone fragments get ...
buried in the worker's shoebox.
I imagine Frank is showing his power by walking around with the box. It's a bit creepy but whatever. The things of this world shall pass.