The Secret Archives of the Vatican

The thrills of mystery & discovery pervade this intimate account of one writer's lengthy encounter with the secret archives of the Vatican, a vast collection of religious & historical documents covering more than 1000 years of history. The book, an outcome of the author's rare chance to visit almost all the archives—"25 miles of shelved documents"—described how this awesome collection of knowledge came into being. In telling the story of the development of the archives, which were established in their present form by Pope Paul V in 1612 & opened to scholars in 1881, the author provides fascinating glimpses of what they contain. These glimpses make for some of the book's most riveting reading. Brought to life are events that led to such documents as the original report on the trial of Galileo & to papal attacks on Pico della Mirandola. The author penetrates the collection of avvisi, or newsletters, which were gossip columns that began appearing in 1565 & were illicit, anonymous, condemned by everyone, & read by everyone, especially the cardinals. Her look into the papal register—official & personal letters—of Gregory VII (1073-85) reveals a pope of profound feeling & self-questioning, as well as affection—for Matilda, Countess of Tuscany. Young Beatrice Cenci emerges a tragic heroine, put to death with her brother & stepmother in 1599 by Pope Clement VIII for murdering her father—a sadistic, violent & repulsive man. The series of records that deal mainly with marriage annulments show "questions more searching than a psychiatrist would venture." Of particular interest is the chapter on the saints & the process of canonization, which guides the reader thru one of the most inaccessible archives of the church—the records of saints' lives in their most intimate detail, the result of long investigations of documents, witnesses & evidence.