Vatican Spies
From the Second World War to Pope Francis
‘Officially’ the Vatican has no espionage service; but does no one carry out intelligence operations on its behalf? During the Second World War and Cold War, Rome was teeming with spies. A band of undercover monsignors and priests hunted for Vatican ‘moles’, led clandestine diplomacy, investigated assassinations of priests and other scandals threatening the Church, and conducted high-risk missions behind the Iron Curtain.
Drawing on freshly released archives of foreign services that worked with or against the Holy See, Vatican Spies reveals eighty years of shadow wars and dirty tricks. These include infiltrating Russian-speaking priests into the Soviet Union; secret negotiations between John XXIII and Khrushchev; the future Paul VI’s close relationship with the CIA; the Vatican’s infiltration by Eastern Bloc intelligence; the battles between the Jesuits and Opus Dei; and the secret bank funds channelled first to fight communism in South America, then to support Solidarity in Poland.
This entertaining book journeys right to the present, uncovering startling machinations under Benedict XVI and, today, Pope Francis.
‘An intriguing book…an informative resource on the modern papacy. It will certainly satisfy all those who, after watching Conclave, want to learn more about intrigue in the Holy See.’ – The Sunday Times
‘A no-holds-barred account of the Vatican’s covert operations…is revelatory…The Vatican is so secretive that the book becomes a modern history of the Holy See. There is much blood on the carpet.’ – The Observer
‘Vatican Spies has it all; murder, blackmail, betrayal, deceit, treachery, with even priests inside the Vatican acting as double agents – through blackmail because of some sexual misdemeanour or personal greed. There is so much noir here it would have provided John le Carré with rich material for a lengthy second career, had he lived…[Vatican Spies] is a compelling, even compulsive read. This book is, quite literally, unputdownable.’ – The Irish Times
‘Candid [and] wide-ranging…Vatican Spies is a tale of remarkable machinations – ones that apparently continue to the current reign of Pope Francis – and a story rich in betrayals, sacrifices, compromises, “damage control” dirty tricks and even murders.’ – The Independent, ‘December Books of the Month’
‘”Blockbuster” and “rollercoaster” are words commonly associated with novels, but they also apply to this exceptional work of non-fiction…This riveting history of the Vatican encompasses a breathtaking tumult of events, names and scandals.’ – The Scotsman
‘An impressive and rigorous narrative.’ – Le Figaro
‘This book finally reveals the secret service of the Vatican and uncovers some of its most relevant operations.’ – Le Point
Yvonnick Denoël is a French historian, publisher and intelligence specialist who has written on the CIA, Mossad, and espionage in the twentieth century. Vatican Spies has appeared in German and Italian translations.
