mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

Eleanor Herman
building already half constructed. It would be a long process, and the
pope despaired of ever seeing the church finished. Where would his
bones rest when he died? He became depressed, and as usual, his health
suffered.
Worried about the pope’s health, Olimpia decided he needed an invigorating
visit to Viterbo and San Martino. The pope, who usually
disliked travel, was actually looking forward to the diversion. When Dr.
Fonseca forced his way into the pope’s room to warn him of the dangers
of the journey, the pope fired him. Cardinal Chigi, too, advised him not
to go. He was concerned not only with the pope’s health but with the
glorification of Olimpia, which seemed to him the sole purpose of the
journey she had arranged. The pope, of course, didn’t listen. On Sunday,
October 12, at 8 a.m., the entourage left Rome.
Innocent was so eager to see San Martino that he bypassed Viterbo
entirely, leaving the welcoming committee twiddling their thumbs. He
was carried up the double-snail staircase of Olimpia’s palace and settled
into the bedroom she had built specially for him, with an interior door
connecting to hers. When the dignitaries of Viterbo, hearing of the
pontiff ’s sudden change in plans, raced to see him, he received them on
the papal throne of the audience chamber Olimpia had designed for
him. Above him was the gilded ceiling that could be raised or lowered;
on three sides were long windows looking out over the green hills. For
several hours Innocent graciously granted audiences to local churchmen,
officials, and nobles.
Cardinal Chigi, who had been dragged along unwillingly, was
shocked to see an inscription on the gate outside Olimpia’s palace that
stated that Pope Innocent X had given her the principality. He pointed
out to the pope that Rome-bound travelers rumbling by on the main
road—Catholic and heretic alike—would see the inscription and, knowing
all the scurrilous stories about the pope and his sister-in-law, would
laugh at it. Innocent reluctantly agreed that it had to be removed and
told Olimpia, who now held another grudge against Chigi.
The following day, the entourage rode the three miles to Viterbo,
where the pope was received in the cathedral by none other than Cardinal
Francesco Maidalchini. The little cardinal had been assigned the
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