Pope John XXIII

:This article deals with the 20th-century pope. For the 14th-century antipope, see Antipope John XXIII

Modern conspiracy theories

A fringe of conservative Catholics—those who disagree with Vatican II—have derided Pope John's influence in calling the council, seeing in him the beginnings of a movement away from the "true faith".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

According to one theory, Pope John was actually an antipope, and the real pope was Giuseppe Cardinal Siri, elected in the 1958 conclave when what may have been white smoke was first seen.

Related Topics:
Antipope - Giuseppe Cardinal Siri - 1958

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) allegedly claimed that Siri had indeed been elected on the third ballot of the 1958 papal conclave.{{ref|Siri}} What is unambiguously known is that Vatican Radio did conclude, on the basis of apparently white smoke, that a pope had been elected on the third ballot and announced it as such, telling listeners "The smoke is white. . . . There is absolutely no doubt. A pope has been elected."{{ref|Vaticanradio}} An FBI source also claimed that Siri was elected a second time on the third ballot.{{ref|FBI}} After the 6pm 3rd ballot white smoke appeared, not only the public was confused. The Swiss Guards assembled to give the ceremonial salute to the new pontiff, only to have to withdraw again.

Related Topics:
United States - Federal Bureau of Investigation - 1958 papal conclave - Vatican Radio - Swiss Guards

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The white smoke often had proven a confusing symbol in the past, leading John Paul II to decree the use of ringing bells in addition to the smoke after a papal election. Allegedly, Siri had even chosen a name, "Gregory XVII", and was preparing to appear at the balcony, but was threatened somehow and forced aside, leaving the cardinals free to elect Roncalli as Pope. Supporters of this theory maintained that Siri was informed that his election would lead to anti-Catholic pogroms in the Eastern Bloc. They claim that rather than endanger the lives of Catholics in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and elsewhere, Siri announced non accepto (I do not accept the papacy.) According to the proponents of this theory, Siri was still validly pope, and as such had the papal graces and protection of the Holy Ghost from error, and John thus did not, leading to his calling of the modernizing Second Vatican Council. Such speculations can neither be proved or disproved, as papal conclaves are held under the strictest secrecy, with violations punishable by excommunication. Siri made no effort either to confirm or deny the claim that he had been elected pope, insisting simply in a 1986 interview "I am bound by the secret. This secret is horrible. I would have books to write about the different conclaves. Very serious things have taken place. But I can say nothing."{{ref|secret}} However he discouraged Sedevacantism and openly accepted John XXIII and his successors as the legitimate popes.

Related Topics:
John Paul II - Pogrom - Eastern Bloc - Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - Holy Ghost - Second Vatican Council - Excommunication - 1986 - Sedevacantism

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some also make unsubstantiated claims that John was a Freemason, and as such, allegedly could not be a valid Pope since Catholics were forbidden at that time from joining Freemasonry under pain of excommunication. Some also make the claim that John's choice of regnal name marked him as an antipope, as the name John had lain unused since Antipope John XXIII used it in the 14th century (this can easily be shown to be false, as many antipopes had chosen traditional regnal names which were later used by legitimate Popes, including two Benedicts XIV).

Related Topics:
Freemason - Excommunication - Regnal name - Antipope John XXIII

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Many who subscribe to the teachings of Our Lady of Fatima also believe that Pope John deliberately withheld secret prophetic information revealed by an apparition of the Virgin Mary. http://www.crc-internet.org/dec97.htm This is perhaps the basis for internet reports in the late 1990s about the supposed discovery of Pope John's diary where he received prophetic insight into the future, including the return of Jesus in New York in 2000. http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/pope.html Although Pope John did have a diary there is no evidence in it to suggest that he received apocalyptic visions of the future. http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Nov1996/feature1.asp

Related Topics:
Our Lady of Fatima - Virgin Mary - 1990s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~