London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

Pope Francis Wants Truth About 'Vatican Girl', Popularised By Netflix Documentary

Pope Francis Wants Truth About 'Vatican Girl', Popularised By Netflix Documentary

A Vatican investigator has been given full authority by Pope Francis to inquire into the disappearance of a schoolgirl 40 years ago.

The mysterious disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi has captivated Italy for 40 years. Emanuela was 15 years old when she disappeared on June 22, 1983, while she was returning from a flute lesson in Rome.

Now the case of her disappearance under mysterious circumstances entered a new chapter on Tuesday when her brother met with a Vatican investigator whom Pope Francis has given free rein to get to the bottom of the case.

Emanuela Orlandi was the daughter of a Vatican usher whose family lived in the Vatican. To find out exactly what happened to her, several investigations were conducted, including the reopening of tombs and grave sites.

Following the release of the Netflix series "Vatican Girl" in late 2017, the case has garnered new interest on a global scale. After receiving data from his retired predecessor, Vatican chief prosecutor Alessandro Diddi restarted an earlier, unsuccessful Vatican probe in January.

Laura Sgro, lawyer for the Orlandi family, talks to the press.


In an interview, Mr. Diddi claimed that Pope Francis has a strong desire for "the truth to emerge without any reservations" in this situation.

Pietro, the elder brother of Emanuela, and Laura Sgro, the family's attorney, spent more than five hours on Tuesday afternoon meeting with Mr. Diddi in the Vatican.

"We hope this can shed light on this episode and write a page of history," Sgro told reporters afterwards, saying that the Vatican's openness and the pope's determination were "absolutely positive."

Theories about Orlandi's disappearance have run the gamut. In the 1980s, Italian media speculated she had been kidnapped in an attempt to secure freedom for Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turk jailed in 1981 for trying to assassinate Pope John Paul II, though nothing came of the link and the suggestion faded.

Other reports linked her to the grave of Enrico De Pedis, a mobster buried in a Rome basilica. His tomb was opened in 2012, but nothing was revealed, and in the interview with Corriere della Sera, Diddi said the suspected link between the girl's disappearance and the Rome crime clan had been "over evaluated".

In 2019, the Orlandi family received an anonymous letter saying Emanuela's body might be hidden among the dead in the Teutonic Cemetery just inside the Vatican walls, where a statue of an angel holding a book reads "Requiescat in Pace," Latin for "Rest in Peace."

Two tombs were opened, but nothing was found-not even the bones of the two 19th-century princesses supposed to be buried there. They apparently had been moved during restructuring work decades before Orlandi was born.

In 2018, bones found during ground work at the Vatican embassy in Rome sparked a media frenzy, suggesting they might belong to Orlandi or to Mirella Gregori, another teenager who disappeared the same year. DNA tests were negative.

Last month, Italy's lower house approved the establishment of a parliamentary commission to investigate the disappearances of both girls.

Police have never excluded the possibility that Orlandi may have been abducted and possibly killed for reasons with no connection to the Vatican, or been a victim of human trafficking.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×