Pope Francis expressed his prayer and solidarity for the family of Emanuela Orlandi, a teenager who disappeared 40 years ago in a highly mysterious case in Italy. The Pope’s gesture was welcomed by Emanuela’s brother, Pietro, who saw it as a significant indication that the Vatican is finally taking the cold case seriously.
During his weekly Angelus message at the Vatican on Sunday, Pope Francis acknowledged the 40th anniversary of Emanuela’s disappearance and expressed his closeness to the family, particularly her mother, assuring them of his prayers. He also extended his remembrance to all families who suffer the pain of a missing loved one.
Emanuela Orlandi went missing in 1983 at the age of 15 after a music lesson in Rome. She lived with her parents in an apartment in Vatican City. Despite years of investigation, her disappearance remains one of Italy’s enduring mysteries, generating numerous theories over the years. Last year, a Netflix series titled “Vatican Girl” renewed global attention to the case, featuring a friend of Emanuela who claimed she had confided in her about a high-ranking Vatican cleric making advances towards her.
Earlier this year, an alleged Roman mobster insinuated in an audiotape that Pope John Paul II would seek out underage girls for molestation. Pope Francis publicly defended the late pontiff, denouncing the insinuations as offensive and baseless.
Pietro Orlandi, who has been campaigning for the truth about his sister’s disappearance, welcomed the Pope’s prayer and considered it a positive and significant step forward. He has long called on the Vatican to provide answers and has led a sit-in near the Vatican with supporters demanding justice and truth. The Vatican has previously faced accusations of obstructing the investigation.
In January, the Vatican’s chief prosecutor initiated a file on the case, and last week, the Vatican announced that the findings had been forwarded to the Rome prosecutor’s office, which is conducting its own investigation. While the Vatican released a statement suggesting lines of inquiry for further investigation, no specific details were provided. Pietro Orlandi expressed gratitude for the Pope’s words but emphasized the need for concrete actions to follow.
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