What do you think?
Rate this book
In God's Name: An Investigation Into the Murder of Pope John Paul I
In God's Name has been at the top of the bestseller lists around the world. It contains some of the most explosive & dramatic revelations ever published about Vatican internal affairs.
During the late evening of Sept. 28th or the early morning of Sept. 29th, 1978, Pope John Paul I, Albino Luciani, known as 'the smiling Pope' died only 33 days after his election. David Yallop began his investigation into this death at the request of certain individuals resident in Vatican City who were disturbed by a cover-up of the true circumstances surrounding the discovery of the Pope's body. It's his conviction that murder was the fate of Albino Luciani & he presents his evidence in this enthralling book. Over three years of continual exhaustive research, Yallop uncovered a chain of corruption that linked leading figures in financial, criminal & clerical circles around the world in a conspiracy of awesome proportions. To this day, several years after its 1st publication, the central questions raised in In God's Name remain unanswered & the frightening accusations still undisputed.
During the late evening of Sept. 28th or the early morning of Sept. 29th, 1978, Pope John Paul I, Albino Luciani, known as 'the smiling Pope' died only 33 days after his election. David Yallop began his investigation into this death at the request of certain individuals resident in Vatican City who were disturbed by a cover-up of the true circumstances surrounding the discovery of the Pope's body. It's his conviction that murder was the fate of Albino Luciani & he presents his evidence in this enthralling book. Over three years of continual exhaustive research, Yallop uncovered a chain of corruption that linked leading figures in financial, criminal & clerical circles around the world in a conspiracy of awesome proportions. To this day, several years after its 1st publication, the central questions raised in In God's Name remain unanswered & the frightening accusations still undisputed.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 1984
340 people are currently reading
2164 people want to read
About the author
David A. Yallop
23 books50 followersDavid Anthony Yallop was an agnostic British author who writes chiefly about unsolved crimes.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
January 1, 2021
My 2nd reading of this book. A must for conspiracy theorists, as it truly shines a light upon a lot of very unusual matters that surrounded the death of Pope John Paul I, which happened just about a month after his election as Pope. One of his main issues was corruption in the church and the Vatican Bank. A truly good man, a humble man, and a man who would have accepted none of the crap that has gone in the church since his death. Very interesting book, a bit dense, but lots of info that never saw the light of day until this book was published.
June 15, 2013
I haven't been paying attention. At almost 50, I've lived so far through five popes, and all this time, I've perceived the Holy See, as indeed holy. That even if it's in itself a sovereign state, it is exempt from the plague of corruption that infests most countries in the world. On this account, was I so wrong! It was (is?) a far cry from what Jesus said - "my kingdom is not of this earth".
Back in September 1978, when I was just a young and naive teenager, I had thought that the death of Pope John Paul I was God's way of telling us that Luciani was not supposed to be the pope. As this book reveals, he was the right choice after all. Sad, really sad.
On account of being a Catholic, I remain one even after this awakening read. Just as I remain a Filipino even after all the blatant and obvious corruption in my country. I remain in my country, as I will remain in my religion. It is comforting knowledge that a garden is still a garden, even when there are weeds. Just the same, the weeds must be pulled out and burned lest they proliferate.
Back in September 1978, when I was just a young and naive teenager, I had thought that the death of Pope John Paul I was God's way of telling us that Luciani was not supposed to be the pope. As this book reveals, he was the right choice after all. Sad, really sad.
On account of being a Catholic, I remain one even after this awakening read. Just as I remain a Filipino even after all the blatant and obvious corruption in my country. I remain in my country, as I will remain in my religion. It is comforting knowledge that a garden is still a garden, even when there are weeds. Just the same, the weeds must be pulled out and burned lest they proliferate.
April 8, 2020
A riveting eye opening book into the life and death of Albino Luciani and the inner workings of the Catholic Church.
A fascinating read page after page that reads like a high paced thriller. Unbelievable that the author has been proved right many times over.
A fascinating read page after page that reads like a high paced thriller. Unbelievable that the author has been proved right many times over.
March 5, 2013
A conversation with a friend yesterday brought back to me the fact that I had read this book. I now remember it so well because I had just arrived in Sierra Leone for a two year stint teaching when the newly elected Pope John Paul 1 died - just one month after being elected.
I just assumed that he had a sudden health issue - but the Sierra Leone's were positive that he had been murdered. My new Sierra Leone friends conversed about this for months and being the naive Catholic that I was then, I was scandalized at this possibility and yet intrigued by the interest in a predominantly Muslim and animist country and their certainty that murder was the cause.
I returned to Canada in 1980. In God's Name came out in 1984 and I inhaled it - so eager to learn what his investigation uncovered and to assess what insight and intuition my Sierra Leone friends had.
I bought Yallop's story, the Vatican is too wealthy and focused on power at the top to not be influenced and corrupted by bank scandals, money and greed. John Paul 1 was learning too much and had and it seemed would use his power to blow the whole thing open. So he was eliminated. Very believable to me.
Of course then the next Pope had to tow the line - and so interesting that he effectively wiped out John Paul 1 by taking the same name!
I just assumed that he had a sudden health issue - but the Sierra Leone's were positive that he had been murdered. My new Sierra Leone friends conversed about this for months and being the naive Catholic that I was then, I was scandalized at this possibility and yet intrigued by the interest in a predominantly Muslim and animist country and their certainty that murder was the cause.
I returned to Canada in 1980. In God's Name came out in 1984 and I inhaled it - so eager to learn what his investigation uncovered and to assess what insight and intuition my Sierra Leone friends had.
I bought Yallop's story, the Vatican is too wealthy and focused on power at the top to not be influenced and corrupted by bank scandals, money and greed. John Paul 1 was learning too much and had and it seemed would use his power to blow the whole thing open. So he was eliminated. Very believable to me.
Of course then the next Pope had to tow the line - and so interesting that he effectively wiped out John Paul 1 by taking the same name!
April 18, 2018
This is a strange book, almost a historical piece now - do they make books like this anymore? It reminded me of Holy Blood, Holy Grail: it´s one of those serious, very-80´sy, blockbuster-looking investigation books which uncover ´secret organisations´ and ´the shocking truth about what really happened´. These are books which changed the world, shook the powers that be (the Vatican here) and sold millions - the zeros cascading across the cover, the dark jackets streaked with silver quotes from the press.
They are relics of a time when you really did need to read books to learn about Opus Dei, Freemasons and conspiracy theories, when it was all whispers and hearsay. Nowadays, of course, with the internet and the chance to Google or check anything the instant a question pops up in your mind, "secrets" are hard to come by. Debates are carried out below the line on any news story, via social media, too, and camps are laid out: the World Trade Centre attack was an inside job? You chose. The information is out there, to support and oppose any view. Indeed, these days we are automatically cynical - nothing is really taken at face value. It´s all a game; there´s always a side to things. We don´t believe what we are told - and we do it ourselves, presenting sides to ourselves on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The public are more aware of, and trade in, deception, these days - a legacy of freedom of information.
This book is about the surprising death of Pope John Paul I only 30 days after becoming Pope. Yallop´s thesis is that he was murdered by Vatican insiders connected to the bank and P2, an organisation of top-ranking freemasons. I´ll leave it up to you to decide what you believe in case you read the book (and Google a bit). There are certainly valid questions arising - not least thanks to a very ambiguous, confused reaction from the Vatican to the death - but it is the other aspects of the book which I found interesting.
The organisation of the Vatican´s finances, described here in detail, is fascinating and frightening. Interesting, too, is the reaction of John Paul II (now, or is he already one?, on the way to becoming a saint) to the situation in the Vatican after he became Pope. Finally, for me, the best thing about this book was the reason I read the book in the first place - Albino Luciani (the real name of the Pope) and the story detailed here, inspired the play and song "Hey! Luciani" by The Fall.
They are relics of a time when you really did need to read books to learn about Opus Dei, Freemasons and conspiracy theories, when it was all whispers and hearsay. Nowadays, of course, with the internet and the chance to Google or check anything the instant a question pops up in your mind, "secrets" are hard to come by. Debates are carried out below the line on any news story, via social media, too, and camps are laid out: the World Trade Centre attack was an inside job? You chose. The information is out there, to support and oppose any view. Indeed, these days we are automatically cynical - nothing is really taken at face value. It´s all a game; there´s always a side to things. We don´t believe what we are told - and we do it ourselves, presenting sides to ourselves on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The public are more aware of, and trade in, deception, these days - a legacy of freedom of information.
This book is about the surprising death of Pope John Paul I only 30 days after becoming Pope. Yallop´s thesis is that he was murdered by Vatican insiders connected to the bank and P2, an organisation of top-ranking freemasons. I´ll leave it up to you to decide what you believe in case you read the book (and Google a bit). There are certainly valid questions arising - not least thanks to a very ambiguous, confused reaction from the Vatican to the death - but it is the other aspects of the book which I found interesting.
The organisation of the Vatican´s finances, described here in detail, is fascinating and frightening. Interesting, too, is the reaction of John Paul II (now, or is he already one?, on the way to becoming a saint) to the situation in the Vatican after he became Pope. Finally, for me, the best thing about this book was the reason I read the book in the first place - Albino Luciani (the real name of the Pope) and the story detailed here, inspired the play and song "Hey! Luciani" by The Fall.
December 29, 2012
While focused on the events, persons and interests surrounding the death of Pope John Paul I, this book also serves as a biography of Albino Luciani, (17 October 1912–28 September 1978). Yallop displays a high regard for Luciani, a great disdain for other Vatican figures associated with its banking establishment, the Archdiocese of Chicago, the P2 Masonic lodge, the Mafia and the CIA. He clearly believes the Pope was assissinated by some combination of these interests and that there was a coverup. His allegations, while provocative, do not, however, constitute proof.
Not being very familiar with the intricacies of Vatican politics and finances, I learned quite a lot that I hadn't know. An exampLe: John Paul's predecessor, Paul VI, had commissioned a study of birth control. Of the 68 commissioners, 64 recommended approval of the birth control pill (the Vatican, incidentally, owned the largest manufacturer of birth control pills in Italy), but the reform never went through because of resistance from the Right. John Paul's intention to liberalize policy served as one reason to have him disposed of, although a more important one was his intention to investigate the Church's banking establishment and remove many of its officials.
Not being very familiar with the intricacies of Vatican politics and finances, I learned quite a lot that I hadn't know. An exampLe: John Paul's predecessor, Paul VI, had commissioned a study of birth control. Of the 68 commissioners, 64 recommended approval of the birth control pill (the Vatican, incidentally, owned the largest manufacturer of birth control pills in Italy), but the reform never went through because of resistance from the Right. John Paul's intention to liberalize policy served as one reason to have him disposed of, although a more important one was his intention to investigate the Church's banking establishment and remove many of its officials.
August 6, 2022
Power + Money + Religion + unchecked accountability = corruption. And in this case, murder.
I am not one for conspiracy theories, so what at the outset sounds like an outlandish accusation of murdering the Pope is something I met with significant skepticism. The author lays out, in great detail, a convincing case for the likely murder of Pope john Paul I, Albino Luciani, just thirty-three days into his papacy. At the heart of it are a handful of people who all had significant self-interest for being exposed if Luciani were to enact the changes and reforms he had in mind. Beyond that the Church itself stood to loose significantly.
The author did his homework so he's not spinning this story out of whole cloth. Of course, the Vatican denies Luciani was murdered. They claim he died of a heart attack. Fascinating conclusion since there were no witnesses, he was in otherwise good health, and they did not do an autopsy. The reality is they don't know what caused his death and embalmed him so quickly that the any physical indications are compromised or no longer exist. There are many inconsistencies regarding his death the Vatican has never addressed or adequately explained. The author digs into these as well.
There is a lot to unpack in this book but even for the most skeptical it is convincing, disturbing, and enlightening. The author presents an enormous amount of detail and describes the intricate relationships, money movement, and power brokering worldwide. It could be hard to follow at times but the conclusion is pretty clear.
I am not one for conspiracy theories, so what at the outset sounds like an outlandish accusation of murdering the Pope is something I met with significant skepticism. The author lays out, in great detail, a convincing case for the likely murder of Pope john Paul I, Albino Luciani, just thirty-three days into his papacy. At the heart of it are a handful of people who all had significant self-interest for being exposed if Luciani were to enact the changes and reforms he had in mind. Beyond that the Church itself stood to loose significantly.
The author did his homework so he's not spinning this story out of whole cloth. Of course, the Vatican denies Luciani was murdered. They claim he died of a heart attack. Fascinating conclusion since there were no witnesses, he was in otherwise good health, and they did not do an autopsy. The reality is they don't know what caused his death and embalmed him so quickly that the any physical indications are compromised or no longer exist. There are many inconsistencies regarding his death the Vatican has never addressed or adequately explained. The author digs into these as well.
There is a lot to unpack in this book but even for the most skeptical it is convincing, disturbing, and enlightening. The author presents an enormous amount of detail and describes the intricate relationships, money movement, and power brokering worldwide. It could be hard to follow at times but the conclusion is pretty clear.
February 9, 2015
Yallop shows how to make Vatican officials scatter like sheep with his tome that blows the lid off the untimely death of Pope John Paul I in the summer of 1978. The investigative report earned quick and negative feedback from within the Holy See shortly after its public release. However, as he outlines his arguments and supports them with numerous facts, Yallop makes a strong case that Albino Luciani, aka John Paul I, did not die by the hand of God, but with the assistance of his greatest enemies who lived and worked around him for his thirty-three day reign. While commencing with a detailed biography of Luciani, Yallop lays the groundwork to show how and why the Pope might have met much conflict when he assumed control of the Holy See. With his openness to birth control, dislike of the Vatican Bank policies, and desire to remove cardinals with known ties to Freemasonry from positions of power, Luciani set himself up for conflict and affixed crosshairs on his back. Yallop also details some of the insider knowledge of the highly secretive Conclave that brought Luciani to power and his open distain of the inner workings of Vatican rule. Luciani remained a selfless man and sought to bring that to his papacy, returning the Church's message to professing Christ's beliefs. Offering up not only motives, but numerous suspects, Yallop points fingers all over the Vatican's inner circle, while also illustrating the extremely political side of the Vatican. Even in his discussion of the post-death events, Yallop shows how the cover-up sought to erase any possibility of foul play, though all the clues sit within the narrative. Stellar work with much information to support his assertions, Yallop has kept the Vatican on the defensive and created the greatest religious whodunit in Catholic Church history.
While there is much information through which the reader must sift to develop an adequate knowledge of the scene, Yallop lays much of it out through several detailed chapters. I do acknowledge that it is fairly inflammatory, but if the shoe does fit, one cannot simply deny its presence. By giving a multi-pronged theory and understanding all the areas in which Luciano might have developed enemies, Yallop offers the reader numerous theories and suspects on which they can ponder. Success comes from the reader's inability to choose which one is the real one, and who might have caused the final demise. Riddled in controversy, Vatican officials not only had motive but opportunity to slay their leader. However, Yallop leaves the final determination in the reader's hands as to who, what, and why it all went down.
Kudos, Mr. Yallop for this wonderful piece of work. I have heard about it for decades, and am glad that I finally took the time to read and open my mind to new conspiracy possibilities.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
While there is much information through which the reader must sift to develop an adequate knowledge of the scene, Yallop lays much of it out through several detailed chapters. I do acknowledge that it is fairly inflammatory, but if the shoe does fit, one cannot simply deny its presence. By giving a multi-pronged theory and understanding all the areas in which Luciano might have developed enemies, Yallop offers the reader numerous theories and suspects on which they can ponder. Success comes from the reader's inability to choose which one is the real one, and who might have caused the final demise. Riddled in controversy, Vatican officials not only had motive but opportunity to slay their leader. However, Yallop leaves the final determination in the reader's hands as to who, what, and why it all went down.
Kudos, Mr. Yallop for this wonderful piece of work. I have heard about it for decades, and am glad that I finally took the time to read and open my mind to new conspiracy possibilities.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
January 25, 2009
Overlong revelation on the 33 day pope that rose from nowhere and descended into the same. Some plausible conspiracy theories. No bashing of Catholicism, but with new(for it's time) insight into the impenetrable overlord bureaucracy known as the Vatican. Seems like Luciani would have brought the church closer into the 20th century "way of thinking" had he the chance. I would have given this book 4 stars had it come up with better direct evidence of foul play.
Goodreads needs to have a 10 star rating system!
Goodreads needs to have a 10 star rating system!
April 25, 2013
Yallop's best-seller, and it's easy to spot why. Well researched and wittily written, this book could never been discredited by the Vatican. The author is like a modern Sherlock Holmes, an investigator with high sense of detail that covers all grounds when boarding a problem. It's very hard not to agree with him when confronted to the theory of Pope John Paul I's assassination.
July 22, 2007
No one, it seems, remembers Pope John Paul I, perhaps because his papacy only lasted a month. This book makes a plausible case for the theory that he was murdered. I was a college freshman when he became pope and then died. Although not a Catholic, I participated in many discussions that brought up the subject of his untimely and, in the eyes of many, dubious demise. John Paul II might well have become pope anyway, but John Paul I was something of a radical and certainly appears to have represented a threat to those in the establishment. There were clearly people who had the means, the motive and the opportunity to bring about his death. Read the book and judge for yourself.
October 24, 2014
questo libro era di mio nonno, credo di averlo letto almeno vent'anni fa.
ricordo ancora il mio pensiero dopo averlo finito: se fosse vero anche solo il 10% di quello che sostiene, sarebbe comunque un incubo. sono passati almeno vent'anni e non �� cambiato niente. �� proprio di queste settimane il ritorno alla ribalta del caso della scomparsa di emanuela orlandi: e si parla nuovamente di monsignor marcinkus, della banda della magliana, eccetera, eccetera, eccetera.
ricordo ancora il mio pensiero dopo averlo finito: se fosse vero anche solo il 10% di quello che sostiene, sarebbe comunque un incubo. sono passati almeno vent'anni e non �� cambiato niente. �� proprio di queste settimane il ritorno alla ribalta del caso della scomparsa di emanuela orlandi: e si parla nuovamente di monsignor marcinkus, della banda della magliana, eccetera, eccetera, eccetera.
October 18, 2013
A convincing enough investigation. And honestly, I read this for three reasons: 1. My father has always claimed that the Vatican murdered Pope John Paul. 2. The Fall wrote "Hey! Luciani" about this story and book. 3. Robert Anton Wilson was sort of obsessed with Licio Gelli.
The book suffers in two major areas: 1. The author is a bit too in love with Pope John Paul. He only sees the progressive potential of the man. Yallop makes a fine case for sainthood. 2. Yallop goes into great speculative detail about the motivations and personal machinations of each corrupt player. In short, the bits on the intricacies of the banking scheme are dry and boring.
My own take on things is this:
1. The Roman Catholic church has been taken over by freemasons!
More seriously, I believe the whole banking scandal centered around hush money paid to the families of molested boys. Sure there was some graft and fraud. Sure some money went into the pockets of crooks. And some money went to buy bad guys weapons. But the real scandal, which John Paul might have been on the verge of exposing, was the systematic ritual rape of young children.
I wonder how the investigation would have turned out differently given what we know now. Still this serves as great conspiracy fodder, if it is shaky historical reporting.
The book suffers in two major areas: 1. The author is a bit too in love with Pope John Paul. He only sees the progressive potential of the man. Yallop makes a fine case for sainthood. 2. Yallop goes into great speculative detail about the motivations and personal machinations of each corrupt player. In short, the bits on the intricacies of the banking scheme are dry and boring.
My own take on things is this:
1. The Roman Catholic church has been taken over by freemasons!
More seriously, I believe the whole banking scandal centered around hush money paid to the families of molested boys. Sure there was some graft and fraud. Sure some money went into the pockets of crooks. And some money went to buy bad guys weapons. But the real scandal, which John Paul might have been on the verge of exposing, was the systematic ritual rape of young children.
I wonder how the investigation would have turned out differently given what we know now. Still this serves as great conspiracy fodder, if it is shaky historical reporting.
April 10, 2013
Mind-boggling. Who would've thought that some of the "respectable" priests/bishops inside the Vatican have got to do with the murder of a pope (Pope John Paul I - Albino Luciani) who was trying to bring the papacy closer to the public and change the medieval view of the church on birth control in the 70s/80s? The author's investigation concluded that the perpetrators have the motive, the opportunity and most definitely the capacity to commit the crime. I am not concerned about what happened to the suspected perpetrators because they are all dead now. I am more concerned about the questionable "system" inside the Vatican bank and the curia. I am surprised that Pope John Paul II, the successor of Albino Luciani, reportedly ignored the anomalous controversy and even more aided the entrance of Opus Dei inside the Catholic church. The author has evidence and was trying for years to obtain a reaction/statement from the Vatican to refute his claims but the Vatican chose to stay silent.
September 30, 2014
Sure, I'm afraid of most criminals that carry a gun and threaten society but I'm petrified of the criminal that portrays a clean appearance, holds a powerful position and claims to be the friend of the common man. This book is fantastic and showed how wonderful and kind-hearted Albino Luciani was. He was truly a man of the people. The vatican is just another powerful, tax exempt institute that has criminals running it including the present pedophile pope. It's all a load of rubbish, just like the religion it represents.
February 7, 2010
Fiction? A great book for conspiracy nuts like myself. The Catholic church attacked by elements of Free Masonry. Predates DaVinci Code and may have been a helpful tool in understanding recent movies like The DaVinci Code and National Treasure. A possible piece of the puzzle for those seeking Truth.
February 17, 2011
Even if only five percent of what is documented by David A. Yallop in this book turned out to be true, it is mind blowing!
December 29, 2012
This book had somehow passed me by. It is general knowledge to anyone who is awake that the Roman Catholic Church is a nasty, corrupt and corrupting institution which (like most religious organisations) brings pain, misery and suffering to millions (It is worth keeping in mind the closeness of the Vatican to Nazi Germany and the role of the Roman Catholic Church in rescuing Nazis towards the end of WWII and ensuring their safe passage to South America – see Ratlines by Mark Aarons et al.) . That such an institution should by some strange quirk elect as its head a man who appears to have escaped some of the corrupting influences of his faith and then set about trying to apply some of the literal teachings of that institution to it and to purge some of the negative elements is bizarre. That such a man should then be murdered following a short period in which he refused to be corrupted by his brothers is not surprising (only the fact that he appears to have been incorruptible). David Yallop has put together a very convincing argument that Pope John Paul I was murdered by an affiliation of clergy, masons and Mafia. Sounds like the plot to a Dan Brown novel? No doubt The Da Vinci Code was in part inspired by such real goings on behind the walls of Vatican City. Some of the books content was quite familiar to me and probably to anyone with an eye to Italian politics and the rule, or miss rule, of Italy through the P2 masonic lodge. However, a lot of the information on Vatican shenanigans was new to me, especially its extent. Heavy going in places it is well worth sticking with the detail and recapping as necessary. If the evidence presented by Yallop (and backed with existing evidence and testimonies) were presented to a jury only one that had been corrupted by P2 would not find that Pope John Paul I had not been murdered by a cabal including his close colleagues.
While the book covers P2, it does not go into exhausting detail, probably not the place for it really. However, Yallop does importantly show how much P2 was as much an organisation of the Vatican as the Italian status quo. Missing from the book however is any real detail on the degree of collaboration between the CIA and parts of the American government and status quo. Also missing from the book is any reference to the Gladio Network (which admittedly when the book was written was pretty much unheard of) into which P2 was intimately linked (again probably beyond the scope of this book but of interest). Anyone wishing to fill in on some of the background missing from (and not directly relevant to Yallops main theme) would do well to take a look at Puppetmasters by Philip Willan and NATO's Secret Armies: Operation GLADIO and Terrorism in Western Europe (Contemporary Security Studies) by Daniele Ganser.
As Yallop shows in Pope John Paul I's successor, Pope John Paul II, the Mafia and Vatican reactionaries got the man they wanted as a successor, someone who would bury the reformist Luciani with his reforms and continue with business as usual turning a blind eye to the sins of the Church while condemning others across the planet for supposed by comparison alongside the corruption and political intrigue that continued on a grand scale during John Paul II's despotic and nasty reign. An investigation of the US deep state, CIA, Mafia, Vatican and Catholic Church in the 1980s would be a fascinating study is my hunch. There would also be some interesting revelations concerning the closeness of the Italian Mafia families and P2 to politics in North America, especially the Republican Party in the USA. The passing reference to Gelli and Reagan made by Yallop is probably only the tip of the iceberg (the question remains who knew how much and how well when).
One quibble with the book is the lack of referencing. Yallop explains his lack of referencing, but still. However, the book presents a pretty solid demolition job of the Vatican. Sadly in the same way that the keepers of Islam can look to an army of devotees who will hear no criticism of their faith, so too the Roman Catholic Church and the Christian fundamentalists of North America.
In summary an excellent piece of research but one which will make little difference in the longterm. Governments plan in lifetimes and terms, the Vatican works in centuries and watches civilisations decline and fall while all the while keeping the bewildered herd enthralled to its smoke and mirrors. Personally I'd like to see the Roman Catholic Church sequestrated, its assets distributed to its victims and Vatican City incorporated into Italy (with, along the way, the prosecution of the Pope – as CEO – and all those clergy who currently use their cloth as a cover for their criminality). Failing that, and equally unlikely, it would be good to see at least a man like the Albino Luciani (poor man continuing to embrace poverty and trying to stay true to his faith) rise again to lead the Vatican and send a tsunami through the organisation that finished the job he started.
While the book covers P2, it does not go into exhausting detail, probably not the place for it really. However, Yallop does importantly show how much P2 was as much an organisation of the Vatican as the Italian status quo. Missing from the book however is any real detail on the degree of collaboration between the CIA and parts of the American government and status quo. Also missing from the book is any reference to the Gladio Network (which admittedly when the book was written was pretty much unheard of) into which P2 was intimately linked (again probably beyond the scope of this book but of interest). Anyone wishing to fill in on some of the background missing from (and not directly relevant to Yallops main theme) would do well to take a look at Puppetmasters by Philip Willan and NATO's Secret Armies: Operation GLADIO and Terrorism in Western Europe (Contemporary Security Studies) by Daniele Ganser.
As Yallop shows in Pope John Paul I's successor, Pope John Paul II, the Mafia and Vatican reactionaries got the man they wanted as a successor, someone who would bury the reformist Luciani with his reforms and continue with business as usual turning a blind eye to the sins of the Church while condemning others across the planet for supposed by comparison alongside the corruption and political intrigue that continued on a grand scale during John Paul II's despotic and nasty reign. An investigation of the US deep state, CIA, Mafia, Vatican and Catholic Church in the 1980s would be a fascinating study is my hunch. There would also be some interesting revelations concerning the closeness of the Italian Mafia families and P2 to politics in North America, especially the Republican Party in the USA. The passing reference to Gelli and Reagan made by Yallop is probably only the tip of the iceberg (the question remains who knew how much and how well when).
One quibble with the book is the lack of referencing. Yallop explains his lack of referencing, but still. However, the book presents a pretty solid demolition job of the Vatican. Sadly in the same way that the keepers of Islam can look to an army of devotees who will hear no criticism of their faith, so too the Roman Catholic Church and the Christian fundamentalists of North America.
In summary an excellent piece of research but one which will make little difference in the longterm. Governments plan in lifetimes and terms, the Vatican works in centuries and watches civilisations decline and fall while all the while keeping the bewildered herd enthralled to its smoke and mirrors. Personally I'd like to see the Roman Catholic Church sequestrated, its assets distributed to its victims and Vatican City incorporated into Italy (with, along the way, the prosecution of the Pope – as CEO – and all those clergy who currently use their cloth as a cover for their criminality). Failing that, and equally unlikely, it would be good to see at least a man like the Albino Luciani (poor man continuing to embrace poverty and trying to stay true to his faith) rise again to lead the Vatican and send a tsunami through the organisation that finished the job he started.
October 21, 2020
The true story of what lays behind the walls of the Vatican. Written by the investigator that worked on the case of Pope John Paul I, father Albino Luciani, a Pope that was embalmed by the Church in less than 24 hours and no one was allowed to see his body, something that never had happened with any other late Pope. John Paul I was a kind of Pope, like Pope Francis, who wanted to "clean" the Catholic Church from its crimes, but unfortunately was assassinated by someone inside on the night he completed a list with all the names of those he thought were using the church to commit financial, sexual and other crimes . He was a Pope for only one month and the Catholic Church made sure the world would forget him. An eye opener and very interesting reading.
May 31, 2009
In The Godfather, Part 3, Pope John Paul I is murdered as part of a sinister game played between rival Mob-related factions within the Vatican, with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. Yallop's book produces a remarkable amount of evidence to support this theory. It's not terribly well-written - there's too much information, and it's poorly organized - but it certainly scores for shock value, and I read the whole thing in a few days. One of the most plausible conspiracy theories I've come across.
April 18, 2024
Read it years ago, found it interesting, but had mostly forgotten about it.
Being a Protestant, I am pretty weak on the fine points of Catholicism.
As long as the Catholic Church continues to stand firm against the slaughter of the innocents, I am a fan.
There are problems in all religions when mammon enters in. It's not the religion, it's the nature of worldly things.
March 2024. Found paperback, donating.
April 2024 update. Found hardback in my attic, keeping it.
I don’t re-read books often, but may with this one.
That or give it to someone with an interest.
Being a Protestant, I am pretty weak on the fine points of Catholicism.
As long as the Catholic Church continues to stand firm against the slaughter of the innocents, I am a fan.
There are problems in all religions when mammon enters in. It's not the religion, it's the nature of worldly things.
March 2024. Found paperback, donating.
April 2024 update. Found hardback in my attic, keeping it.
I don’t re-read books often, but may with this one.
That or give it to someone with an interest.
March 15, 2011
It was hard to believe all said in this book. Some arguments could be feasible but the financial transactions described are so complicated that they seem imaginary to a degree. I live in Chicago (well now in a suburb of Chicago) and knew about Cardinal Cody. All the author said is probably true. Other claims are harder to prove and believe. The author had a great dislike for Pople John Paul II and that took away from his story. It sounded too personal. Maybe he wants to be Pope.
July 9, 2013
David Yallop presents a compelling case in his conclusion that Pope John Paul I was murdered. His scathing indictment of the Roman Curia, Bishop Marcinkus and Cardinal Cody is very believable. It's surprising the Catholic Church today still exists under this leadership. As a resident of the Chicago diocese, I thought Cardinal Cody during his tenure presented himself as arrogant, dictatorial, mean-spirited and underhanded.
May 8, 2012
A good read, fascinating murder mystery. The author has researched the facts leading up to and following the murder of Pope John Paul I. At times his data is redundant and difficult to follow in the narrative. This book is an expose of Cardinal Cody of Chicago, Opus Dei, The Vatican Bank, P2, Freemasonry,the Italian mafia, among others. It is a tale of the destruction of a good and holy man.
November 29, 2012
Gripping. A combination of the catholic establishment in action and the machinations of pure evil. The accounts in this book transform the Vatican from a merely antiquated religious establishment into a hotbed of intrigue, ruthlessness and naked power play. The only sympathetic figure in it is the saintly Pope John Paul I who however turned out to be out of his depth.
December 20, 2013
A journalist makes the case that Pope John Paul I was murdered in 1978 only 33 days after his election. Grounds include: a healthy 65-year-old man dies without an autopsy, plus scandal in the Vatican bank, and a pastoral, rather than business-like approach to church leadership created powerful enemies. Insider view into Vatican politics.
December 26, 2011
I have read this book 3 or 4 times. I have bought it 3 or 4 times because I keep lending it out. It eas the basis for The Godfather 3, although don't hold that against it. I love the fact that he does not draw any conclusions, he presents the facts and lets you decide.
December 7, 2008
An excellent, well referenced description of the inner politics of the Vatican.
May 30, 2010
Account is full of financial issues, vatican politics, and intrigue surrounding death of Pope John Paul I
June 11, 2011
Compelling reading, shocking and frightening, corruption, lies, money laundering and even murder in the Vatican. Great read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews