Emanuela Orlandi vanished on June 22, 1983. She was last spotted after attending a music class in Rome. She was just 15 years old at the time and was the daughter of a Vatican official.
Various theories have emerged regarding Orlandi’s disappearance. Amateur investigators have implicated a range of possible culprits, including the Catholic Church, the Mafia, and even a Turkish fascist group. Despite extensive efforts, the mystery remains unsolved, and Orlandi’s remains have never been located. Nonetheless, recent evidence has reignited interest in the case.
In 2019, a significant lead emerged regarding bones found in Vatican City, believed to belong to Emanuela Orlandi. This development initially raised hopes for authorities after more than 35 years of searching. However, these hopes were soon dashed, leaving the disappearance of Orlandi as unresolved and haunting as ever.
Emanuela Orlandi Vanishes
Pietro Orlandi, Emanuela’s brother, reminisced about their upbringing within the confines of the Vatican. Despite residing in what seemed like the safest place, their world shattered on June 22, 1983. Even within their close-knit community, where their father held a prominent position, safety was elusive.
On the day she vanished, Emanuela attended her usual flute lessons at a local music school. After class, she reached out to her sister over the phone. However, she never returned home afterward. That final call to her sister marks the last known contact with Emanuela.
The day after Emanuela Orlandi’s disappearance, she was officially declared missing, launching an immediate investigation. Numerous tips flooded in, offering potential leads. Among these, two stood out, offering hope of progress.
On June 25, a caller identifying himself as “Pierluigi” claimed to have spotted Orlandi in Rome. He provided specific details about her flute and clothing, convincing investigators of his credibility. He claimed that the girl referred to herself as “Barbarella” and had allegedly fled home to sell Avon products, a detail consistent with Orlandi’s conversation with her sister before her disappearance.
On June 28, another caller informed authorities of encountering a young woman named “Barbara” who had reportedly fled her home. This individual claimed to have seen her at a bar close to the music school, adding some validity to his account.
However, subsequent tipsters introduced a different narrative, alleging a conspiracy involving a Turkish extremist organization known as the Grey Wolves. According to these tips, the group aimed to abduct Emanuela Orlandi and exchange her for one of their members, an assailant imprisoned for the attempted assassination of the pope two years earlier.
Perhaps at its core, this case simply revolves around a teenage girl’s decision to run away.
Theories About Emanuela Orlandi’s Disappearance
Numerous intriguing theories surround Emanuela Orlandi’s disappearance and presumed demise, apart from those involving the Turkish terrorist group. Given the Vatican’s influence and the presence of Mafia operations in the area, suspicions often fall on these powerful entities.
The Mafia-related theories primarily focus on a criminal organization in Rome called the Banda della Magliana, led by Enrico De Pedis. According to this narrative, the syndicate had lent significant sums to the Vatican Bank but felt they were not receiving their due repayments. Consequently, they allegedly resorted to kidnapping a Vatican official’s daughter, viewing it as a means to reclaim their debts.
Anonymous tips have bolstered this theory, and De Pedis’ former girlfriend later claimed he confessed to Orlandi’s abduction. However, concrete evidence is scarce, and a police search of the gangster’s tomb, supposedly containing DNA evidence supporting the theory, yielded no results.
The Grey Wolves theory appears to be supported by more substantial evidence. Mehmet Ali Ağca, a member of the Grey Wolves, attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II in the Vatican on May 13, 1981. Despite shooting the Pope four times, he did not succeed in killing him and was promptly apprehended.
Following Orlandi’s disappearance, several anonymous calls to authorities suggested that the Turkish terrorists were holding her, intending to exchange her for Ağca. One caller, identified as “The American” due to his accent, claimed association with this group. He even implicated the June 25 and June 28 tipsters as part of his organization and outlined a plan for the exchange within 20 days. However, the Vatican authorities did not treat these calls seriously, and no action was taken.
One particularly disturbing theory surrounding the Orlandi case suggests collusion between the Vatican, local law enforcement, and regional officials in a scheme to abduct young girls like Emanuela Orlandi and subject them to sexual exploitation. According to this theory, these illicit activities, which allegedly involved foreign diplomats, were organized as sex parties, as reported by The Telegraph.
The credibility of this allegation is heightened by its source, Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican’s chief exorcist appointed by John Paul II. Amorth claimed that Orlandi was a victim of sexual abuse, ultimately leading to her demise and disposal.
“This was a crime with a sexual motive,” he said. “Parties were organized, with a Vatican gendarme acting as the ‘recruiter’ of the girls. The network involved diplomatic personnel from a foreign embassy to the Holy See. I believe Emanuela ended up as a victim of this circle.”
Regardless of the motive behind Emanuela Orlandi’s disappearance, her family’s primary concern has been to recover her remains and attain closure. Since 1983, numerous tips of this nature have been provided.
The Vatican City Bones And The Mystery Of The Angel’s Crypt
Over the nearly four decades since Emanuela Orlandi vanished, authorities have diligently pursued numerous leads and investigated countless tips in their quest to resolve this enduring mystery. Among these, perhaps none seemed as promising as the 2019 letter purporting to disclose her ultimate resting place.
Early in the year, Laura Sgro, the lawyer representing the Orlandi family, received a disturbing note. Enclosed was a photograph depicting a tomb beneath the Vatican, accompanied by instructions to “look where the angel is pointing,” referring to a marble angel positioned near the crypt.
The anonymous tip swiftly captured the interest of the Vatican’s most senior figures. Spokesman Alessandro Gisotti weighed in diplomatically to address the unfolding situation. “I can confirm that the letter by Emanuela Orlandi’s family has been received,” said Gisotti, “and the requests it contains will be studied.”
The tip gained significant intrigue due to scientific tests conducted on the tomb after the letter’s receipt. These tests indicated that the tomb had been opened at least once recently, suggesting the possibility of Emanuela Orlandi’s remains being concealed inside. Additionally, in a letter addressed to the Vatican, Sgro stated that she had confirmed the knowledge among certain individuals about the potential presence of Orlandi’s body in the tomb.
Further supporting the notion of suspicious activity surrounding the tomb were observations of unidentified individuals visiting it. Evidence of this included flowers left at the site, indicating frequent visits by unknown persons.
The next step was to search the crypt and determine whether Emanuela Orlandi’s remains were indeed located inside.
The Future Of The Investigation
In 2019, the revelation of the angel letter wasn’t the first instance of the Orlandi family receiving hope from an anonymous tip. Just prior, in October 2018, anticipation surged as the Vatican uncovered human remains on its premises. However, the family’s optimism was swiftly dashed when the remains were identified as belonging to unrelated individuals.
Unfortunately, history repeated itself in July 2019, as the search of the tomb yielded no traces of remains.
“There were no human remains nor funerary urns,” said Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti. The tomb led to an expansive underground space that was “completely empty,” and “had no human remains.”
The outcome dealt a significant blow to the Orlandi family, who had tirelessly pursued the recovery of the missing girl’s remains for almost four decades.
“We expected everything today, but not to find two empty tombs,” said Sgro on behalf of the family. “We want to know why we were sent there, and why there was nothing.”
Expressing his feelings, brother Pietro Orlandi stated, “Part of me felt relieved that Emanuela was not there,” highlighting the family’s familiarity with the rollercoaster of hope and disappointment experienced throughout this prolonged search.
“Still,” he said, “I was surprised that there was nothing at all.”
While the search yielded no results, it is significant to note the Vatican’s sudden shift in cooperation regarding this issue. Pietro Orlandi disclosed that he had repeatedly urged the Vatican to assist in the search for his missing sister and was pleasantly surprised when they eventually acquiesced.
“For the first time in 36 years, the Vatican has concretely done something important,” which “signals a change of position.” He recounted that in 2013, when he appealed to Pope Francis for assistance, he was simply informed that his sister was “in heaven,” without further action.
Pietro Orlandi even speculated that the Vatican’s initial reluctance to aid in the search seemed like an acknowledgment of the potential for internal accountability on their part.
Despite the Vatican’s cooperation, the mystery surrounding Emanuela Orlandi’s disappearance remains unresolved and the case has once again stalled. However, as long as the missing girl’s family persists in their quest for answers, the search will endure, fueled by their unwavering hope.
“Even if nothing was to be found,” Pietro Orlandi said before the tomb was opened in 2019, “it cannot be the end of the story.”
