15-year-old disappeared in Vatican 40 years ago: Pope remembers Emanuela Orlandi

class=”sc-29f61514-0 jbwksb”>

“I would like to take this opportunity to once again express my solidarity with the bereaved, especially my mother, and assure them of my prayers,” the head of the Catholic Church said on Sunday after the Angelus prayer in front of about 20,000 faithful. St Peter’s Square Rome. His thoughts are with all the families who “have to go through the pain of losing a loved one”.

Pietro Orlandi, the brother of the then 15-year-old Emanuela, who disappeared in 1983 and was the youngest Vatican citizen at the time, was confident after the Pope’s speech: “The taboo surrounding Emanuela Orlandi has finally been broken.” The fact that the pope mentioned them was a “sign of hope to find the truth”. With him were many other people in St. Peter’s Square to commemorate Emanuela.

A memorial service was held prior to the Angelus prayer. Pietro Orlandi and other members of the “Vatican Girl” and many other people gathered to remember Emanuela. They carried posters and banners with pictures. Pietro called for an end to the silence there. “After 40 years, we keep fighting,” he said.

The daughter of a curia officer did not return home on June 22, 1983 after a music lesson in Rome. A body has never been found – what happened to her is still unclear. There are many theories about her disappearance. It is alleged that Orlandi was kidnapped to free Pope Mehmet Ali Agca’s assassin, or that secret services were involved. There was also talk of abuse by a Curie official or kidnapping by the mafia.

(SDA)

Source: Blick