Vatican Spies: From the Second World War to Pope Francis

by Yvonnick Denoël

Overview

"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 channeled 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781911723400
Publisher:	Hurst
Publication date:	02/03/2025
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

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.

Editorial Reviews

"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

"Enthralling." — Foreign Affairs

"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

"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

"Utterly absorbing." — Mail on Sunday

"[An] even-handed study ... [of] the infiltration of the Vatican by foreign powers." — The Spectator

"On almost every page there is a story which would provide the plot for a geopolitical thriller." — The Tablet

"Historian Yvonnick Denoël delves into newly declassified documents for his book ' Vatican Spies', in which he reveals an intricate network of hidden connections and hidden conflicts that, starting after World War II, turned the Holy See into a hotbed of spies on a 'special mission."— El Mundo

"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"

"This book is well worth reading, and should be viewed as a jumping-off point into a murky universe which deserves greater attention." — New Directions

" 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 misdemeanor 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

""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] astonishing history." — History of War

"Stalin famously asked how many divisions the Pope has. Maybe not divisions, but it does boast a vast and effective intelligence network. This magisterial account of the Vatican's spying activities is unique in dealing with the last few decades, including the current Pope. An meticulous work, a book of revelations." — Bruno Macaes, author, foreign correspondent, The New Statesman

"Vatican Spies surprised me. Little did I know about the clandestine war and Intelligence gathering waged by the Vatican, so well documented and colorfully described in Yvonnick Denoel's book. The Vatican secret service is unquestionably one of the major espionage agencies, and Vatican Spies reads like an intriguing and very well sourced spy novel."—Mishka Ben-David, former Mossad operative and author of Duet in Beirut and Last Stop Algiers

"An important, ground-breaking survey of the Catholic Church as an international intelligence-gathering network and an object of interest for national intelligence agencies. Highly readable and endlessly fascinating."—Professor Philip Murphy, Director of History & Policy, Institute of Historical Research

"God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are absent from this book. Denoel's work is concerned with ambition, greed, extreme politics, murder, mafia, betrayal and the darker side of human nature. A fascinating history of the Vatican from fascism to the present day." — David Lane, author of Berlsuconi's Shadow and Into the Heart of the Mafia, and former Italy business and finance correspondent, The Economist

"Incorporating findings from recently released research and documents, this book reads like a fascinating thriller." — Jacqueline Parascandola, Library Journal

"A very exciting and intriguing read."—Church Times

"A fascinating read... It will amaze and appall readers at the same time." — The Irish Post

"Yvonnick Denoël is to be commended." — Andrew Mayer, Washington Independent Review of Books

"An extraordinary...amount of detail is packed into this enthralling history of espionage and intrigue surrounding the papacy since the start of World War II." — Lawrence Freedman, Foreign Affairs

"A riveting read of secrecy and subterfuge with real-life detail and evocative and colorful descriptions. At the end you'll be agog waiting for the next chapter of history to unroll." — The Times of Malta

"An entertaining and enlightening read." — Fortean Times

From the Publisher