Vatican murder mystery twist as chilling letter claims missing schoolgirl, 15, is buried under angel statue whose hands point down
Emanuela Orlandi's disappearance in 1983 has gripped Italy and led to numerous conspiracy theories
THE family of a missing girl feared to be buried in the Vatican have received a chilling tip-off claiming her body lies under an angel statue whose hands point down.
Emanuela Orlandi, 15, whose father worked for the Catholic church in the city-state, vanished on her way home from a flute lesson in June 1983.
Her disappearance has sparked numerous conspiracy theories including a plot to kill Pope John Paul II, the collapse of a Vatican bank, the Mafia and the intelligence services.
This week, it emerged her family received an anonymous letter that claims the schoolgirl is buried in a tomb in the Teutonic Cemetery – which is reserved for German, Austrian, Dutch and Flemish Catholics.
Above the tomb is a statue of an angel which points down towards the ground.
The tip-off says: “Look where the angel is pointing.”
Her family have demanded the Vatican open the tomb and investigate the records relating to the cemetery.
Look where the angel is pointing
The area became dedicated to German speakers during the 15th century.
According to newspaper Corriere della Sera, tests show the tomb has been opened at least once in the past.
In a letter to the Vatican, the family’s lawyer Laura Sgrò said: “Some people knew there was a chance Emanuela Orlandi’s body had been hidden in the German cemetery.”
She added that flowers had been left at the tomb regularly “for some years.”
Vatican bosses say they are considering the request.
What happened to Emanuela?
- Emanuela, who lived inside the Vatican City, was last seen at a bus stop talking to woman with red hair on June 22, 1983.
- On her way to her lesson, the teenager was stopped by a man in a green BMW who tried to sell her Avon cosmetics.
- Emanuela was so troubled by that encounter that she called one of her sisters.
- She was due to meet another of her siblings after her lesson but never turned up.
Spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said the letter has been received and passed to the church’s Secretary of State while adding that the request “will be studied.”
Emanuela’s family hope that Pope Francis will open up the church’s files into the investigation of the girl’s disappearance.
This is in light of the Pontiff announcing he will release archives relating to the Pope Pius XII who allegedly failed to speak out against the persecution of the Jews by the Nazis in WWII.
FAMILY WANT POPE INTERVENTION
Lawyer Ms Sgrò said: “Seeing as the Pope has decided to open the Vatican archives for the pontificate of Pius XII in 2020, we make an appeal to the pontiff to give us access to the dossier that regards the investigation into the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi.
“Francis must clarify this deeply shadowy story as well.”
In October, her family were given a glimmer of hope when workmen found a skeleton beneath the foundations of the Vatican’s embassy to Italy.
But tests later proved that the remains did not belong to Emanuela.
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In 2012, cops exhumed the body of an alleged Mafioso in the hopes of finding Emanuela’s remains buried in the same crypt, but came up empty handed.
Another theory links her alleged kidnapping to the attempted assaintion of Pope John Paul II in 1981.
It is thought she may have been snatched from the streets of the Vatican to force the release of Mehmet Ali Agca – the Turkish national who tried to murder the Pontiff.
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