On the 40th anniversary of the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi, a Vatican prosecutor has promised to continue a new investigation while remaining “close to the pain” of the girl’s family.
Newsdesk (24/06/2023 11:00, Gaudium Press) Emanuela Orlandi, the daughter of a minor official of the Papal Household, vanished on June 22, 1983, after attending a music lesson in Rome. As her family resided in an apartment within Vatican City State, her disappearance has attracted numerous conspiracy theories and speculation over the years.
Last year, the Orlandi case gained significant attention due to the release of a highly acclaimed four-part Netflix series called “Vatican Girl.” This success prompted Alessandro Diddi, the Vatican’s Promoter of Justice, and the Procurator of Rome, the city’s district attorney, to initiate new investigations into the case.
In addition, the lower house of the Italian legislature overwhelmingly voted to launch a parliamentary inquest, a proposal that is currently being considered by the Italian senate.
In a statement released through the Vatican Press Office, Alessandro Diddi provided an update on his investigative efforts regarding Emanuela Orlandi’s case. He revealed that his office had gathered all available evidence from the Vatican and the Holy See and had conducted conversations with individuals responsible for specific offices at the time of the disappearance. Diddi acknowledged the existence of leads that warrant further examination and stated that he had forwarded relevant documents to the Procurator of Rome for review and potential action.
Diddi affirmed his commitment to continue the investigation in the coming months, emphasizing his empathy for the Orlandi family’s pain and acknowledging the anguish caused by the disappearance of a loved one.
To mark the 40th anniversary of Emanuela’s disappearance, her brother Pietro Orlandi, an Italian media personality who has devoted his life to uncovering the truth about his sister’s case, has called for a public rally. The rally is scheduled to take place on Sunday, starting at Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo and proceeding down Via della Conciliazione, concluding in St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’s Angelus address at noon. Attendees are encouraged to carry pictures of Emanuela during the procession.
Pietro Orlandi has expressed hope that Pope Francis will deliver a message of hope regarding the ongoing search for answers in his sister’s case.
Earlier this year, Orlandi drew criticism from Pope Francis and other Vatican officials when he aired an audio recording on Italian national television. The recording featured an ex-mobster alleging that the late Pope John Paul II was involved in a paedophile ring within the Vatican and suggested that Emanuela might have been killed to conceal the scandal. Orlandi further added credence to the accusation by mentioning that he had been informed that John Paul II used to venture out at night with a couple of Polish monsignors, suggesting it wasn’t for the purpose of blessing houses.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now