"That's the way he was in the Riserva," the archivist said. "A madman."
Michener stared hard at Ngovi. "What's going on here, Maurice?"
"I am at a loss. Years back, as a bishop, I and others spent three months studying the third secret at John Paul's request. That message was so different from the first two. They were precise, detailed, but the third secret was more a parable. His Holiness thought guidance from the Church, in its interpretation, was called for. And I agreed. But never did we consider the message incomplete."
Ngovi motioned to a thick, oversized volume lying on the table. The huge manuscript was ancient, its pages so aged they appeared charred. The cover was scrawled in Latin, surrounded by colorful drawings depicting what appeared to be popes and cardinals. The words LIGNUM VITAE were barely visible in faded crimson ink.
Ngovi sat in one of the chairs and asked Michener, "What do you know of St. Malachy?"
"Enough to question whether the man was genuine."
"I assure you, his prophecies are real. This volume here was published in Venice in 1595 by a Dominican historian, Arnold Wion, as the definitive account of what St. Malachy himself wrote of his visions."
"Maurice, those visions occurred in the middle of the twelfth century. Four hundred years passed before Wion began writing everything down. I've heard all the tales. Who knows what Malachy said, if anything. His words have not survived."
"But Malachy's writings were here in 1595," the archivist said. "Our indexes show that. So Wion would have had access to them."
"If Wion's book survived, why didn't Malachy's text?"
Ngovi motioned to the book. "Even if Wion's writing is a forgery, his prophecies instead of Malachy's, they, too, are remarkable in their accuracy. Made even more so with what's happened over the past couple of days."
Ngovi offered him three typed sheets. Michener scanned the pages and saw that it was a narrative summary.
Malachy was an Irishman, born in 1094. He became a priest at age twenty-five, a bishop at thirty. In 1139 he left Ireland for Rome, where he delivered an account of his diocese to Pope Innocent II. While there he experienced a strange vision of the future, a long list of men who would one day rule the Church. He committed his vision to parchment and presented Innocent with the manuscript. The pope read the offering, then sealed it in the archives where it remained until 1595, when Arnold Wion again recorded the list of pontiffs Malachy had seen, along with Malachy's prophetical mottoes, starting with Celestine II, in 1143, and ending 111 popes later with the supposed last pontiff.
"There's no evidence that Malachy even experienced visions," Michener said. "As I recall, that was all added to the story in the late nineteenth century from secondhand sources."
"Read some of the mottoes," Ngovi calmly said.
He stared again at the pages in his hand. The eighty-first pope was prophesied to be The Lily and the Rose. Urban VIII, who served at that time, came from Florence, which used the red lily as its symbol. He was also bishop of Spoletto, which took the rose for its symbol. The ninety-fourth pope was said to be A Rose of Umbria. Clement XIII, before becoming pope, was governor of Umbria. Apostolic Wanderer was the predicted motto for the ninety-sixth pope. Pius VI would end his days a wandering prisoner of the French revolutionists. Leo XIII was the 102nd pope. A Light in the Sky was his attributed motto. The papal arms of Leo showed a comet. John XXIII was said to be Shepherd and Sailor. Apt since he defined his pontificate as that of a shepherd and the badge of Vatican II, which he called into session, displayed a cross and a ship. Also, prior to his election, John was patriarch of Venice, an ancient maritime capital.
Michener looked up. "Interesting, but what does this have to do with anything?"
"Clement was the one hundred and eleventh pope. Malachy labeled him From the Glory of the Olive. Do you recall the gospel of Matthew, chapter 24, the signs of the end of the age?"
He did. Jesus left the Temple and was walking away when his disciples complimented the beauty of the building. I tell you the truth, He said. Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down. Then later, on the Mount of Olives, the disciples beseeched Him to say when that would happen and what will be the sign of the end of the age.
"Christ foretold the second coming in that passage. But, Maurice, you can't seriously believe that the end of the age is at hand?"
"Perhaps not something that cataclysmic, but nonetheless a clear ending and a new beginning. Clement was predicted to be the precursor to that event. And there's more. Of Malachy's described popes, starting in 1143, the last of his one hundred and twelve is the current pope. Malachy predicted in 1138 that he would be named Petrus Romanus."
Peter the Roman.
"But that's a fallacy," Michener said. "Some say Malachy never predicted a Peter. Instead, that was added in a nineteenth-century publication of his prophecies."
"I wish that were true," Ngovi said as he slipped on a pair of cotton gloves and gently opened the bulky manuscript. The ancient parchment crackled from the effort. "Read this."
He glanced down at the words, penned in Latin:
In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman who will feed his flock among many tribulations, after which in the seven hilled city the dreadful judge will judge all people.
"Valendrea," Ngovi said, "took the name Peter on his own accord. Do you see now why I'm so concerned? Those are Wion's words, supposedly Malachy's as well, written centuries ago. Who are we to question? Maybe Clement was right. We inquire far too much and do what we please, not what we're supposed to do."
"How can you explain," the cardinal-archivist asked, "that this volume is nearly five hundred years old and these mottoes were attributed to these popes long ago? Ten or twenty being correct is coincidence. Ninety percent is something more, and that's what we're talking about. Only around ten percent of the labels seem to have no bearing whatsoever. The vast majority are remarkably accurate. And the final one, Peter, comes exactly at one hundred and twelve. I shuddered when Valendrea took that name."
A lot was coming fast. First the revelation about Katerina. Now the possibility that the end of the world was at hand. After which in the seven hilled city the dreadful judge will judge all people. Rome had long been labeled the seven hilled city. He looked over at Ngovi. Concern laced the older prelate's face.
"Colin, you must find Tibor's reproduced translation. If Valendrea thinks that document is critical, then so should we. You knew Jakob better than anybody. Locate his hiding place." Ngovi closed the manuscript. "This may be the last day we have access to this archive. A siege mentality is taking hold. Valendrea is purging all dissenters. I wanted you to see this firsthand--to understand the gravity. What the Medjugorje seer wrote is open to debate, but what Sister Lucia penned, and what Father Tibor translated, is quite another."
"I have no idea where that document might be. I can't even conceive of how Jakob removed it from the Vatican."
"I was the only person with the safe's combination," the cardinal-archivist said. "And I opened it only for Clement."
An emptiness swept over him as he thought again of Katerina's betrayal. Concentrating on something else might help, if only for a short while. "I'll see what I can do, Maurice. But I don't even know where to start."
Ngovi's face remained solemn. "Colin, I don't want to dramatize this any more than necessary. But the fate of the Church could well be in your hands."
FIFTY-SEVEN
3:30 P.M.
Valendrea excused himself from the crowd of well-wishers gathered in the audience hall. The group had traveled from Florence to wish him well, and before leaving he assured them all that his first trip beyond the Vatican would be to Tuscany.
Ambrosi was waiting for him on the fourth floor. His secretary had left the audience chamber half an hour ago and he was curious why.
"Holy Father," Ambrosi said. "Michener met with Ngovi and the cardinal-archivist after he left you."
He now understood the urgency. "What was said?"
"It was behind closed doors in one of the reading rooms. The priest I have in the archives could learn nothing except they had an ancient volume with them, one that ordinarily only the archivist may handle."
"Which one?"
"Lignum Vitae."
"Malachy's prophecies? You've got to be kidding. That's nonsense. Still, it's a shame we don't know what was said."
"I'm in the process of reinstalling the listening devices. But it will take time."
"When is Ngovi scheduled to leave?"
"His office is already cleared. I've been told he departs for Africa in a few days. For now, he's still in his apartment."
And still camerlengo. Valendrea had yet to decide on a replacement, debating among three cardinals who hadn't wavered in their conclave support.
"I've been thinking about Clement's personal effects. Tibor's facsimile has to be among them. Clement could expect no one but Michener to go through his things."
"What are you saying, Holy Father?"
"I don't think Michener will bring us anything. He despises us. No, he'll give it to Ngovi. And I can't let that happen."
He watched Ambrosi for a reaction and his old friend did not disappoint him. "You want to act first?" his secretary asked.
"We need to demonstrate to Michener how serious we are. But not you this time, Paolo. Call our friends and enlist their aid."
Michener entered the apartment he'd been using since Clement's death. He'd walked the streets of Rome the past couple of hours. His head started hurting half an hour ago, one of the headaches the Bosnian doctor warned would reoccur, so he went straight to the bathroom and downed two aspirin. The doctor had also told him to have a complete physical once back in Rome, but there was no time for that right now.
He unbuttoned his cassock and tossed it onto the bed. The clock on the nightstand read six thirty P.M. He could still feel Valendrea's hands on him. God help the Catholic Church. A man possessed of no fear was a dangerous thing. Valendrea seemed to dart, unconcerned, from moment to moment, and absolute power vested him with unfettered choices. Then there was what St. Malachy supposedly said. He knew he should ignore the ridiculous, but a dread swelled inside him. Trouble lay ahead. Of that he was sure.
He dressed in a pair of jeans and a buttondown shirt, then trudged into the front room and settled on the sofa. He purposely left all the lights off.
Had Valendrea actually purged something from the Riserva decades ago? Did Clement recently do the same thing? What was happening? It was as if reality had turned itself upside down. Everything and everybody around him seemed tainted. And to cap the whole mess off, an Irish bishop who lived nine hundred years ago may have predicted the end of the world with the coming of a pope named Peter.
He rubbed his temples and tried to dull the pain. Through the windows, scattered rays of weak light found their way inside from the street below. In the shadows beneath the sill lay Jakob Volkner's oak chest. He recalled it being locked the day he moved everything from the Vatican. It certainly seemed like a place where Clement might have secreted something important. No one would have dared to look inside.
He crawled across the rug to the chest.
He reached up, switched on one of the lamps, and studied the lock. He didn't want to damage the chest by breaking it open, so he sat back and thought about the best course.
The cardboard box he'd brought from the papal apartments the day after Clement's death sat a few feet away. Everything of Clement's lay inside. He slid the box toward him and rummaged through the assorted items that had once graced the papal apartments. Most invoked fond memories--a Black Forest clock, some special pens, a framed photograph of Clement's parents.
A gray paper bag contained Clement's personal Bible. It had been sent from Castle Gandolfo the day of the funeral. He hadn't opened the book, merely brought it back to the apartment and placed it in the box.
He now admired the white leather exterior, its gilt edging marred by time. Reverently, he opened the front cover. In German was written, ON THE OCCASION OF YOUR PRIESTHOOD. FROM YOUR PARENTS, WHO LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.
Clement had spoken many times of his parents. The Volkners had been Bavarian aristocracy in the time of Ludwig I, and the family had been anti-Nazi, never supporting Hitler, even in the glory days before the war. They hadn't been foolish, though, and kept their dissension to themselves, doing quietly what they could to help Bamberg's Jews. Volkner's father had harbored the life savings of two local families, safeguarding the funds until after the war. Unfortunately, no one returned to claim the money. Instead, every mark was given to Israel. A gift from the past in the hope of the future.
The vision from last night flashed through his mind.
Jakob Volkner's face.
Do not ignore heaven any longer. Do as I asked. Remember, there is much to be said for a loyal servant.
What is my destiny, Jakob?
But it was Father Tibor's image that answered.
To be a sign to the world. A beacon for repentance. The messenger to announce that God is very much alive.
What did it all mean? Was it real? Or just the delusion of a brain racked by lightning?
He slowly thumbed through the Bible. The pages were like cloth. Some bore underlining. A few had notes scribbled in the margin. He began to notice the marked passages.
Acts 5:29. Obedience to God carries more authority than obedience to men.
James 1:27. Pure unspoiled religion in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.
Matthew 15:3-6. Why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? In this way you have made God's word null and void by means of tradition.
Matthew 5:19. The man who relaxes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to act likewise will be considered the very least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Daniel 4:23. Your Kingdom will be preserved for you, but only after you have learned that Heaven rules all.
John 8:28. I do nothing on my own authority, but preach only as the father has taught me.
Interesting choices. More messages from a troubled pope? Or just random selections?
Four strands of colored silk poked from the book's bottom edge, bunched together three-quarters of the way through. He grabbed the strands and folded back to the denoted pages.
Wedged into the binding was a thin silver key.
Had Clement done that on purpose? The Bible had been at Castle Gandolfo on the nightstand beside Clement's bed. The pope could have assumed that no one but Michener would examine the book.
He freed the key and knew what it opened.
He inserted it into the chest's lock. The tumblers gave way and the lid released.
Inside were envelopes. A hundred or more, each addressed to Clement in a feminine hand. The addresses varied. Munich, Cologne, Dublin, Cairo, Cape Town, Warsaw, Rome. All places where Clement had been posted. The return address on every envelope was the same. He knew the sender from a quarter century of handling Volkner's mail. Her name was Irma Rahn, a childhood friend. He'd never asked much about her, Clement only volunteering that they grew up together in Bamberg.
Clement regularly corresponded with a few longtime friends. Yet all of the envelopes in the chest were from Rahn. Why had Clement left such a legacy? Why not simply destroy them? Their implications could easily be misconstrued, especially by enemies like Valendrea. Apparently, though, Clement had decided the risk was worth taking.
Since they were now his property, he opened one of the envelopes, slid out the letter, and started reading.
FIFTY-EIGHT
Jakob:
My heart ached at the news from Warsaw. I saw your name mentioned as being there in the crowds when riots broke out. The communists would like nothing better than for you and the other bishops to fall victim. I was relieved to receive your letter and
glad to know you were unharmed. I wish His Holiness would allow a posting to Rome where I know you'll be safe. I know you would never make such a request, but I pray to our Lord that it will happen. I'm hoping you are able to come home for the Christmas season. It would be good to spend a holiday near you. If such is possible, do let me know. As always I await your next letter and know, my dear Jakob, that I love you so.
Jakob:
I visited your parents' grave today. I trimmed the grass and cleaned the stones. I left a bundle of lilies with your name on them. Such a shame they did not live to see what you have become. An archbishop of the church, perhaps even a cardinal one day. It's a testament to them what you have done. My parents and yours endured so much, too much really. I pray each day for the deliverance of Germany. Perhaps through good men like you our legacy could become something good. I hope your health is good. Mine is fine. I seem blessed with a strong constitution. I might be in Munich over the next three weeks. I will call if I come. My heart longs to see you again. Your precious words in your last letter have warmed me ever since. Take care, dear Jakob. My love, always and forever.
Jakob:
Cardinal Eminence. A title you so deserve. God bless John Paul for finally elevating you. Thank you again for letting me attend the consistory. Surely no one knew who I was. I sat off to the side and kept my thoughts to myself. Your Colin Michener was there and seemed so proud. He is as you described, a handsome young man. Make him the son we always wanted. Vest in him, as your father vested in you. Leave a legacy, Jakob, through him. There is nothing wrong with that, nothing in your vows to your church or your God forbids that. I still find my eyes watering at the memory of the pope crowning you with a scarlet hat. It was the proudest moment of my life. I love you, Jakob, and only hope that our bond is a source of strength. Take care, my darling, and do write soon.