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74            Ghost Stories & Legends from the Vatican



























































              The Spookiest Ghost                        Satan can shapeshift, speak in many languages, that stood before the tomb. It moved a bit, then
                                                         or "even appear to be sympathetic."              vanished. The stunned viewer thought the light
        Stories And Legends From                                                                          was the spirit of Pope John Paul II.
                                                         A Shadowy Apparition Haunts A Bell
                     The Vatican
                                                         Tower                                            An Eerie Figure Floats  Above
                                                                                                          Worshipers Inside St. Peter's Basilica
                 Cheryl Adams Richkoff                   https://youtu.be/EzNZ72vqp7o -  This chilling
                                                         clip was captured by a person waiting to enter When British tourists  Andy and Susan Key
                                                         St. Peter's Basilica. Everything seemed to be visited St. Peter's Basilica in 2007, they had an
        The Vatican houses some of the most beautiful normal - but then a shadowy figure appeared in eerie brush with the unknown. The couple were
        Catholic churches in the world, filled with the footage, standing in a bell tower. Some admiring sunbeams shining down through a
        priceless artifacts tied to deeply held beliefs. But viewers thought it might be the restless spirit of window high in the dome and snapped a picture.
        its echoing corridors and high vaulted ceilings someone who committed suicide, as the figure But when they viewed the photos later, they
        may house more than just history: perhaps appears poised to jump. No explanation for the spotted an ethereal apparition:
        restless spirits linger here, too.               creepy apparition has been provided by the            "It looks like an angel hovering on the
                                                         Vatican.                                         people's heads... It looks almost like a hologram.
        Is the Vatican haunted? It's impossible to say for                                                I thought it was really spooky."
        certain.  There are whispers of  Vatican ghost The Basilica Stands On Haunted
        stories, though the city-state's officials seem  Ground                                           The Ghost Of Donna Olimpia
        vigilant about keeping those under wraps.                                                         Pamphili Reenacts Her Crime Each
        Perhaps ghost stories from the  Vatican are
                                                         According to some sources, St. Peter's Basilica Year
        carefully covered up because any association
                                                         stands upon cursed soil. It was erected on top of
        with the occult is a serious sin. So, even though  a pagan necropolis, or burial ground.  The old
        spooky tales from the Vatican are common, the                                                     The ghost of Italian noblewoman Donna
                                                         spirits and gods didn't take kindly to the       Olimpia Pamphili is supposedly seen at least
        Church isn't talking about it.
                                                         intrusion, and strange activity filled the 16th  once a year near the Vatican. Though she was of
                                                         century construction site.  Workers began        a noble family, she was obsessed with raising
        Thankfully, thanks to the rise of smartphones,
                                                         dropping dead, and the Pope himself became ill.  her station in life even higher. Her second
        tourists have begun documenting their own        Worse still, apparitions in the form of crows
        brushes with the paranormal in Italy. Whether                                                     husband was brother to the then sitting Pope
                                                         lingered around the area until the Pope ordered  Innocent X. The lady wormed her way into the
        you believe their stories or not, these supposed
                                                         an exorcism.                                     Pope's good graces, and became his closest
        spirits of the Vatican seem to be making their
                                                                                                          confidant.  The two were so close that if you
        presence known.
                                                         A Mysterious Light  Appears  Around Pope         wanted anything from the pontiff, you'd have to
                                                         John Paul II's Tomb                              go through Donna Olimpia first. Pamphili's
        Demon Spirits Lurk In  The Holy
                                                                                                          newfound status gained her newfound enemies.
        Vatican Sites                                    Odd stories began circulating when Pope          Seeking a way out, she secretly filled chests
                                                         Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013.               with  Vatican gold, placed them in her black
        The Catholic church sanctions exorcisms from Immediately following Benedict's resignation         carriage, and drove away. She didn't have long
        time to time, and perhaps no one became more announcement, Vatican City was struck by a bolt      to enjoy her ill-gotten riches, as she died of
        closely associated with the rite than the late of lightning. Not long after, an American Roman    plague two years later. But every January 7 (the
        Father Gabriele  Amorth.  The exorcism expert Catholic man was viewing the Vatican's webcam       anniversary of Pope Innocent X's death), Donna
        firmly believed that demons are in the world, page featuring the tomb of Pope John Paul II.       Olimpia's ghost flees across the Sisto Bridge in
        even in the holiest of places. "The Devil resides Suddenly, the screen showed a bright light      her carriage.
        in the  Vatican and you can see the overwhelming the entire room where the tomb is
        consequences," he said.  Amorth claims that located. The light then formed a human figure                                (Continued on Page 75)
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