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mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

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Eleanor Herman<br />

<strong>of</strong> Tuscany sent him expensive gifts, and when cardinals and princes<br />

lavished him with congratulations and silverware. He was elated<br />

when <strong>the</strong> Venetian senate sent him a solemn embassy with letters patent<br />

declaring him a nobleman <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most serene republic. But when<br />

<strong>the</strong> French ambassador was ready to set out from Rome to congratulate<br />

Mario personally, word came from <strong>the</strong> pope to stay put.<br />

Undeterred, Mario wrote to Monsignor Scotti, <strong>the</strong> pope’s majordomo,<br />

expressing his heartfelt desire to come to Rome and kiss <strong>the</strong> pope’s feet.<br />

If, however, he was not allowed to do so, he would like Monsignor<br />

Scotti to kiss <strong>the</strong> pope’s feet for him. When Monsignor Scotti read <strong>the</strong><br />

letter to Alexander, <strong>the</strong> pontiff pr<strong>of</strong>fered his foot and said, “Kiss it.” 12<br />

Several cardinals asked <strong>the</strong> pope when he would bring his family to<br />

Rome and which positions <strong>the</strong>y would fill. Alexander replied that Fabio<br />

Chigi had had relatives, but Alexander VII had no family o<strong>the</strong>r than<br />

<strong>the</strong> church. If anyone cared to look in <strong>the</strong> baptismal register <strong>of</strong> Siena, he<br />

would find no person by <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> Alexander VII. The cardinals<br />

were shocked at this reply and warned him that if he didn’t show affection<br />

for his family, he would look pusillanimous, selfish, and cheap.<br />

How could a pope be expected to take care <strong>of</strong> tens <strong>of</strong> millions <strong>of</strong> Christians<br />

if he wasn’t willing to take care <strong>of</strong> his own family?<br />

The ambassadors were also greatly displeased at <strong>the</strong> new pontiff ’s<br />

stubborn opposition to nepotism. The Venetian ambassador stated that<br />

<strong>the</strong> republic would not send <strong>the</strong> traditional obbedienza parade if it would<br />

be dishonored by a lack <strong>of</strong> papal nephews. Besides, he said, <strong>the</strong> more a<br />

pope spent on his family, <strong>the</strong> less money he would have to make war on<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r Italian kingdoms and stir up trouble.<br />

The Spanish ambassador explained to <strong>the</strong> pope that papal relatives<br />

were required to take part in <strong>the</strong> ostentatious cavalcade for <strong>the</strong> presentation<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> chinea each June 28. If no papal relatives marched in <strong>the</strong><br />

parade, Spain would be dishonored and would not give <strong>the</strong> white horse<br />

at all. Spain insisted on having a cardinal nephew with whom <strong>the</strong> ambassador<br />

could negotiate, as <strong>the</strong> pope was <strong>of</strong>ten too busy. Moreover,<br />

Spain was ready to hand over rich possessions in <strong>the</strong> kingdom <strong>of</strong> Naples<br />

to <strong>the</strong> pope’s secular nephews, along with fat pensions and noble<br />

Spanish brides with generous dowries. How could <strong>the</strong>y influence <strong>the</strong><br />

[ 382 ]

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