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mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

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Eleanor Herman<br />

justice, <strong>the</strong>y believed he could not ignore her depradations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> papal<br />

treasury and would prosecute her to <strong>the</strong> fullest extent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> law.<br />

Evidently Olimpia grudgingly gave her approval to vote for Chigi if<br />

Sacchetti could not be elected. Now <strong>the</strong>re was only Mazarin to deal<br />

with. Cardinal Antonio Barberini wrote a letter urging Mazarin to<br />

withdraw his secret exclusion <strong>of</strong> Chigi. He was <strong>the</strong> best candidate for<br />

<strong>the</strong> job, Antonio explained, and harbored no resentment toward France.<br />

Besides, <strong>the</strong> conclave had been going on for two months. Rome was in<br />

chaos, and Milan had gone to war with Modena. A new pontiff was<br />

urgently needed to establish law and order at home and negotiate peace<br />

abroad.<br />

Cardinal Sacchetti also sent a letter, generously stepping aside as <strong>the</strong><br />

French candidate, imploring Mazarin to allow <strong>the</strong> election <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> worthy<br />

Chigi for <strong>the</strong> good <strong>of</strong> Christendom. If <strong>the</strong> Most Christian King did<br />

not withdraw <strong>the</strong> exclusion, <strong>the</strong> cardinals, more <strong>of</strong> whom were falling<br />

sick, might elect Chigi anyway, and for <strong>the</strong> second time in a row <strong>the</strong><br />

new pope would bear no love for France, which had tried to prevent his<br />

election.<br />

The cardinals’ letters were posted with special messengers who rode<br />

like <strong>the</strong> wind. Finally, <strong>the</strong> verdict was delivered. Mazarin and <strong>the</strong> sixteen-year-old<br />

Louis XIV would be absolutely delighted if <strong>the</strong> virtuous<br />

Cardinal Chigi became pope.<br />

With France, Spain, and Olimpia accepting <strong>the</strong> choice, on <strong>the</strong> evening<br />

<strong>of</strong> April 6 <strong>the</strong> cardinals went to Chigi’s cell to give him <strong>the</strong> glorious<br />

news that on <strong>the</strong> following morning he would become pope. When<br />

<strong>the</strong> cardinals knocked on his cell door <strong>the</strong>y found that he was taking a<br />

nap. Chigi listened to <strong>the</strong>ir news with no change <strong>of</strong> expression and <strong>the</strong>n<br />

asked <strong>the</strong>m to reconsider <strong>the</strong>ir choice. He had many obvious imperfections,<br />

he said, and quite a few <strong>the</strong>y didn’t even know about. But this<br />

self-deprecating statement only increased <strong>the</strong> cardinals’ eagerness to<br />

elect him.<br />

The following day, Cardinal Chigi received a unanimous vote, except<br />

for his own, which he gave to Sacchetti. When <strong>the</strong> last vote was<br />

taken out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> chalice and read, Chigi fell to his knees and prayed.<br />

With tears streaming down his face, he stood and announced that he<br />

[ 378 ]

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