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Vatican Secret Archives: Unknown Pages of Church History
This latest book by the internationally acclaimed investigative journalism team is their most intriguing work to date. Best-selling books by Górny and Rosikon have been translated into eight languages, including five richly illustrated investigative works published by Ignatius Press. For this new work they had access to one of the most guarded institutions in the world - the Vatican Secret Archives.The authors tell of its turbulent history and its unique documents, familiarizing us with the real stories behind the most controversial events in the Church’s history the Knights Templar trial, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Galileo Galilei trial, Pius XII's atti- tude towards the Holocaust, and much more. In addition to preliminary archival research, they travelled to several countries, visiting places described in the documents, and met with numerous historians and experts. This brilliantly written book, illustrated with stunning photographs, is the result of several years' work. It is highly recommended reading for all those interested in historical riddles concerning events of major importance. Based on extensive factual material, the book debunks numerous unjust stereotypes, black legends and distortions that have accumulated over the centuries about Catholicism.
370 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2020
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About the author
Grzegorz Górny
34 books15 followersReporter, essayist, publicist, film, and television producer, Grzegorz Górny
Is a journalism graduate from Warsaw University.
The founder and editor-in-chief of the quarterly Fronda (between 1994 and 2005 and from 2007 onwards), from 1994 to 2001 he co-authored a television programme under the same title, aired on the Polish national television station TVP which ran for a total of 150 episodes Grzegorz has produced various documentary television series, including Archive of the 20th century (for TV Puls), The Other Bottom of History (for TVP Historia), Savage Poland (for TVP Polonia), and 2009’s War of the Worlds (for TVP 2 and TVP 1), for which he was also screenwriter and director.
Between 2005 and 2006 he was editor-in-chief of the weekly Ozon. He has authored publications, including 1991’s collection of essays entitled Culprits with Witold Paski and Wojciech Tochman; The Lexicon of literary Noble Prize winners (1993); a collection of essays entitled The Demon of the Afternoon; the album Faith:. Following the Footsteps of Sister Fasustyna (2010; with Janusz Rosikon), a book of journalistic writing entitled Battle for Madrid (2010; with Tomasz Terlikowski). He conducted a series of interviews with Rev. Waldemar Chrostowski, PHD (along with Rafał Tichy) entitled Bóg, Biblia, Mesjasz (God, the Bible, the Messiah) and Kościół, Żydzi, Polska (The Church, Jews, Poles). He's had many articles published in newspapers such as Rzeczpospolita, Życiu Warszawy ( he was their in-house correspondent in the Ukraine 1992/1993), Wprost, Nowym Państwie, Znaku, Christianitas, Teologii Politycznej, the Austrian Der Standard, the Hungarian Heti Valasz, the Ukrainian Post Postup and many more.
Source (31st August 2014):
http://en.rosikonpress.com/autor_24/G...
Is a journalism graduate from Warsaw University.
The founder and editor-in-chief of the quarterly Fronda (between 1994 and 2005 and from 2007 onwards), from 1994 to 2001 he co-authored a television programme under the same title, aired on the Polish national television station TVP which ran for a total of 150 episodes Grzegorz has produced various documentary television series, including Archive of the 20th century (for TV Puls), The Other Bottom of History (for TVP Historia), Savage Poland (for TVP Polonia), and 2009’s War of the Worlds (for TVP 2 and TVP 1), for which he was also screenwriter and director.
Between 2005 and 2006 he was editor-in-chief of the weekly Ozon. He has authored publications, including 1991’s collection of essays entitled Culprits with Witold Paski and Wojciech Tochman; The Lexicon of literary Noble Prize winners (1993); a collection of essays entitled The Demon of the Afternoon; the album Faith:. Following the Footsteps of Sister Fasustyna (2010; with Janusz Rosikon), a book of journalistic writing entitled Battle for Madrid (2010; with Tomasz Terlikowski). He conducted a series of interviews with Rev. Waldemar Chrostowski, PHD (along with Rafał Tichy) entitled Bóg, Biblia, Mesjasz (God, the Bible, the Messiah) and Kościół, Żydzi, Polska (The Church, Jews, Poles). He's had many articles published in newspapers such as Rzeczpospolita, Życiu Warszawy ( he was their in-house correspondent in the Ukraine 1992/1993), Wprost, Nowym Państwie, Znaku, Christianitas, Teologii Politycznej, the Austrian Der Standard, the Hungarian Heti Valasz, the Ukrainian Post Postup and many more.
Source (31st August 2014):
http://en.rosikonpress.com/autor_24/G...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 10, 2021
The scandal of yesterday is the history of today. History buffs and people who like to gossip would knock their socks off with this book.
The top three intriguing chapters for me were these:
-Trial of the Knights Templar- What a scandal it was when this powerful order was suddenly accused with so many charges, to the point of having the leaders burned at the stake and the entire congregation dissolved. The vile reason: King Philip IV's desire to have his hands on the society's wealth, so he can fund his wars.
-The Trial of Galileo - Was Galileo unreasonably imprisoned for believing heliocentrism?
-The Silence of Pius XII - What did Pope Pius XII actually do during World War II, where was he when Hitler decided to trim off the Jewish population?
The top three intriguing chapters for me were these:
-Trial of the Knights Templar- What a scandal it was when this powerful order was suddenly accused with so many charges, to the point of having the leaders burned at the stake and the entire congregation dissolved. The vile reason: King Philip IV's desire to have his hands on the society's wealth, so he can fund his wars.
-The Trial of Galileo - Was Galileo unreasonably imprisoned for believing heliocentrism?
-The Silence of Pius XII - What did Pope Pius XII actually do during World War II, where was he when Hitler decided to trim off the Jewish population?
February 23, 2021
Reading a book with a title like this, you should not expect a non-biazed presentation of events in history seen through the lens of the vatican archives.
This book is published by a catholic press. The majority of the people interviewed in this book are catholic friars, catholic scholars and some rather controversial historians. Most of the narratives is based on interviews with one person. Presenting that persons views on particular events.
There is hardly any discussions, no questioning or critic.
There are some rather strange opinions about the Cathars, the cathar faith, heretics, the inquisition(s), colonization of the «new world», the spanish civil war and so on.
Appearently the catholic church is more or less innocent, but blame can be put on heritics, protestants, the monarcy and probably everyone else but the Catholic church.
The positive thing about this book is that it (yet again )has made me questioning everything I read. It taught me that there can be other narratives not told. And that I should always fact check all statements and opinions.
This book is published by a catholic press. The majority of the people interviewed in this book are catholic friars, catholic scholars and some rather controversial historians. Most of the narratives is based on interviews with one person. Presenting that persons views on particular events.
There is hardly any discussions, no questioning or critic.
There are some rather strange opinions about the Cathars, the cathar faith, heretics, the inquisition(s), colonization of the «new world», the spanish civil war and so on.
Appearently the catholic church is more or less innocent, but blame can be put on heritics, protestants, the monarcy and probably everyone else but the Catholic church.
The positive thing about this book is that it (yet again )has made me questioning everything I read. It taught me that there can be other narratives not told. And that I should always fact check all statements and opinions.
December 26, 2022
Surprisingly easy read considering it looks like a high school textbook. I really appreciate having all these major issues from Church history addressed in one book.
February 28, 2023
Church history is fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews