You're all talking about miracles
awakenings, tricks, deception, resurrection
the second coming of Christ.
Nonsense, all of it, which the Holy See unequivocally rejects.
The photograph that sparked your imagination is from two years ago.
Someone wanted to play a practical joke on us
a joke in rather bad taste.
Lies, Sofia! Lies!
We are fairly certain that the intensive care room
at the Venice hospital is empty.
Pius XIII is no longer there.
I deny it categorically.
So what became of him, then?
Did he meet the same end
- as Francis II? - That is a deliberate provocation
and as you all know, the Holy See never responds to provocations.
Thank you.
How am I?
Dazzling.
- I've missed you. - I am and always will be your friend.
This is comforting.
Are you nervous?
When I want, Gutierrez, I know how to take the stage.
I know.
The girls who snubbed us
the boys who deserted us, the strangers who ignored us
the parents who misunderstood us
the employers who rejected us
the mentors who doubted us
the bullies who beat us
the siblings who mocked us
the friends who abandoned us
the conformists who excluded us
the kisses we were denied
because no one saw us.
They were all too busy turning their gaze elsewhere
while I was directing my gaze at you.
Only at you.
Because I am one of you.
Sorrow has no hierarchy.
Suffering is not a sport, there is no final ranking.
Tormented by acne and shyness
by stretchmarks and discomfort, by baldness and insecurity
by anorexia and bulimia
by obesity and diversity
reviled for the colour of our skin
our sexual orientation, our empty wallets
our physical impairments
our arguments with our elders
our inconsolable weeping
the abyss of our insignificance
the caverns of our loss
the emptiness inside us
the recurring, incurable thought of ending it all
nowhere to rest, nowhere to stand
nothing to belong to.
Nothing! Nothing! Nothing!
Yes...
That is how we felt.
And just like you
I remember it all.
But it no longer matters that the world took issue with us.
For now it is us who shall take issue with the world.
We will no longer tolerate
being named as the problem.
Because in point of fact, they are the problem, we are the solution.
We, who have been betrayed and abandoned
rejected and misunderstood, put aside and diminished.
"There is no place for you here"
they told us with their silence.
"Then where is our place?"
We implored them with our silence.
We never received that reply.
But now we know, yes
we know our place.
Our place is here.
Our place is the Church.
Cardinal Biffi said it first
and in an astonishingly simple way:
"We are all miserable wretches
whom God brought together to form a glorious Church."
Yes...
we are all miserable wretches.
Yes, we are all the same.
And yes, we are the forgotten ones.
But no longer.
From this day forth, we shall no longer be forgotten.
I assure you, they will remember us.
Because we are the Church.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
Second thoughts?
I just don't understand.
Understand what?
What it is we want.
Lenny's body...
that's what we want.
Dead or alive.
We won't rest until we find his body.
Why?
Because for me, it's like a body of Christ.
Isn't it the same for you?
You must realise that if you go through with it
you probably won't be allowed to keep working here.
So, it's not a good idea to go to the police?
A good idea is one that minimises damages
and maximises profits.
Outside of here, they call it capitalism.
But we've been practicing it since the time of the catacombs.
Why did you do it?
You told me that true punishment isn't served in prison
but rather in one's soul.
I got to thinking, though, that prison is the perfect place
to wrestle with one's soul.
So, let's archive the entire incident and get back to work, Sofia.
No.
I have decided to resign.
- I'm leaving. - But why?
Please, Eminence, don't make me say it.
You are the most intelligent man in the world
I am sure you can imagine why.
Why do you all make the same mistake?
What's that?
Sooner or later, you all fall in love.
Please, do with me what you will
but let the children go.
I would have much preferred our first encounter
to have been under more pleasant circumstances.
And instead we are burdened with a difficult and urgent mission.
We have six children and a priest to save.
- The police... - This is not a job for the police.
This is a job for the Church.
Do you know who was more afraid that I would wake up than you?
Who?
The caliph.
Let's analyse the situation, Your Holiness.
I fall into a coma and I become a living saint.
We witness the first signs of a Catholic fanaticism.
Until now, fanaticism has been the exclusive prerogative of the caliph.
He feels we've usurped his territory and so he attacks us.
Now he's afraid that I've woken up
so he ups his game...
and strikes at the thing I love most: children.
But he's not afraid you've woken up
he's afraid you've risen from the dead.
In which case, you're not merely an infidel
but, as you would be the Antichrist for us
for him you would be Iblis, the Devil.
And there is no dealing with the Devil.
That's precisely what I want. He's gonna have to deal with me.
The caliph doesn't know for sure
if I've risen from the dead, or not.
He has doubts.
And doubt, as Voiello says, is a weapon.
But we have a secret, a certainty...
I have come back.
And our certainty is not a weapon, it's a bomb.
No one is interested in having that bomb explode.
Which is why we can force him to release the children.
I don't understand what you plan to do.
I plan to let the caliph know for certain that I am no longer in a coma.
He knows if I show myself to the world
I will rob him of his monopoly on fanaticism.
I can create a billion Catholic fanatics in a week.
The caliph knows that, it's why he reacted so erratically.
If I don't show myself to the world
he can carry on dreaming his delirious dreams.
It'll be up to him to decide.
But if he doesn't want me to show myself
he's gonna have to let those children and their teacher go immediately.
What do you think?
I think that we are the Church
and we must act like the Church.
We must kneel down and pray for six children and a priest
while the forces of law and order
devise a plan to liberate them without leaving any dead bodies on the ground.
And that is what we shall do, Lenny.
That is the middle way.
You are the Pope and you establish the line, I will submit to your will.
That night you wept at your brother Adam's tomb
you told him God doesn't like you.
How would you know that?
Did you think you were alone?
I was there with you, John.
John...
You're gonna have to resign yourself to believing in me
now that you've realised...
what I am.
Free them now! Free them now!
Brother cardinals...
I've come back.
This meeting here today is to be our secret.
If you reveal to anyone that I've returned
I will know how to punish you.
Do you remember, brother cardinals
when I told you that the faithful had to come to us
through a narrow door
that we would not go to them?
You were all... rather sceptical.
Yet that is exactly what's happened.
And it is why I want you all now
in absolute silence
with your eyes closed...
to concentrate
and ask my forgiveness
and say to yourselves
"It will never happen again
that I, a wretched man
will fail to believe in Pius XIII."
We are always saying that we guide people's hearts.
But what does that mean?
The heart in and of itself, as I know perfectly well
is nothing more than an organ that beats.
Sometimes it beats faster, sometimes it beats slower
and sometimes it stops.
The heart is a mechanism, it means nothing.
What does it mean exactly to guide people's hearts?
It means...
to rule emotion.
Your emotion...
The emotion of other Catholics outside these walls.
You can rule the emotion of your fellow man, he will follow you
wherever you please.
This is called power.
Our Most Excellent Voiello
exercises it over you all.
John Paul III and myself exercise it over the world at large.
What a marvellous job John Paul III has done.
When he shouted that "no" in Lourdes
he displayed all the courage you have always lacked.
And last Sunday, at the Angelus
when he bared his heart
he bared others' hearts as well.
Others who have been concealing themselves
but now they have emerged
from their sorry little rooms
their ditches of uncertainty.
They are all out there now
in the square.
They came...
they stayed
and they will continue to stay.
What a glorious Pope
John Paul III!
Because at long last, John Paul III
has formed the angry base of the young Catholic army.
If need be, I will expand
inspire and arm them.
The coming days will be crucial
which is not why I need you by my side.
I need my red backdrop.
So, you will remain by my side, silent
obedient and good.
You're too old to reinvent yourselves
too old to comprehend the shifts in the emotional nature of this world.
You don't need to trust me
you need to entrust yourselves to me.
And pray.
Pray for Don Antonio
a good priest who is suffering
and for six frightened children.
God is by our side.
We tend toward the good
and God tends toward the good.
Which is why God will remain by our side.
Because He knows me
and I know Him!
Let us pray.
I don't understand.
Who is the Pope now?
Shut up and pray, idiot.
When a man...
in the name of other men
and in one god's name
abducts children, terrorizes them, deprives them of food
and threatens them with death
he is not just committing a crime
he is declaring war.
The modern Church will not fall for these provocations.
But I am not modern.
I am ancient.
I say to you now I am ready to respond to this declaration of war.
- Your Holiness... - Shut up, Voiello, and listen to me.
We will annihilate them.
Tomorrow morning, I want John Paul III to address the people in the square.
Take notes, Voiello, I have to dictate what he will say.
I speak to the kidnappers.
Yes, you are despicable, and yes, you are already dead.
You act against any will of any god
therefore I command you to release the children and Don Antonio.
If you fail to obey, I will come there
and I will have with me God and iron, faith and fire.
And I will not be alone.
You must know that, I will not be alone.
Do you have any idea of the work we've been doing?
We haven't slept in days.
Our intelligence services, our diplomats, the Vice President...
we've all been working our asses off to save your ass
rescue those kids, the priest.
And your emeritus Pope, how does he thank us?
By having John Paul III say he's ready to declare war.
Are you out of your minds?
Last time you fought a war
was in 1540 and that was to conquer Perugia.
Do you have the slightest idea
- what the danger of declaring war is, Voiello? - No, what?
That then you actually gonna have to fight it.
Calm down, Bauer.
Pius XIII is just a little wound up.
Ah, OK, so why don't you try to wind him down a little?
Cos otherwise I will be forced to do something more decisive.
What do you want to do, Bauer, assassinate the Pope?
There would be no point, he would just rise again.
He might. You wouldn't.
Let me explain something to you, Your Eminence.
When we know the scenario, we can control it
but when it's all an unknown, things spin out of control.
One day, you're taking your kids to the park
next day, you're taking cover in a bomb shelter.
One day, your Pope is a little unwound
next day, Word War III breaks out before you even know it.
Now, can you see that living legend behind me there?
I noticed him immediately.
General Parker, that says it all. Now...
The General is not going to utter a single word
but he will move his head in response to my questions
so watch him carefully.
General Parker, in the event of a war
will the United States, the most powerful nation on Earth
be willing to save the Vatican's ass?
- Got it? - Yes, I got it.
But you are the one who's pretending not to get it, no one wants a war.
If Pius XIII shows himself to the world
Catholic fundamentalism will boil over.
If Pius XIII utters the word "war"
millions of people from around the world are ready
to immolate themselves on the Syrian border
and to launch the greatest religious war of all time.
Many of them will be Americans.
The frontlines would include Catholic factions
from the conflicts in former Yugoslavia
freedom fighters from Ukraine and the Lithuanian special forces
and affluent members of the Catholic diaspora
stand ready to finance the conflict...
...and provide arms.
Am I wrong, General Parker?
See? We might be a little rusty
but we still know a thing or two about war.
I can't believe we're even having this conversation.
The Vatican entertaining the idea
of declaring war on Islam.
Jesus fucking Christ, Voiello.
No, hold on, Bauer. Not on Islam, on Islamic terrorism.
We know perfectly well that the majority of Muslims are moderate
but that's exactly the point.
It's the moderate Catholics who now risk
becoming few in number because the majority
would become fundamentalists
if Pius XIII were to show himself.
So, now listen to me, Bauer.
Pius XIII may have in mind to leave a sign
a divine sign.
Not some momentary peace that lasts only until the next madman
comes along eager to carry out an attack somewhere in the world
but everlasting peace
or at least a very long-lasting peace.
Where you were unable to do it
he may well prove to be successful
because the collective imagination
is more powerful than the atomic bomb.
Now do you get it, Bauer?
Life is so beautiful.
It would be enough to embrace it for what it is.
An opportunity for joy and grace
for love and lightheartedness.
When did you lose your lightheartedness?
When?
Everyone down there remembers my miracles but they forget about my murders.
They don't know it was me who killed that poor priest, that hero, in Ventotene
and I left those six bewildered children alone with those madmen.
Tomorrow, they'll blame John Paul III but it was me.
I'm a danger to others, I'm worthless
a rash, unreasonable child.
Your Holiness, John Paul III would like to see you.
- Your Eminence. - Bauer, what are you doing here?
Brought someone to see you.
- Who is he? - The man closest to the caliph.
- Did you track him down? - Nope.
That's where it gets interesting: he tracked me down.
When you don't have proof...
you don't have proof.
Voiello called me, they made contact
they sought us out, they're afraid.
They claimed it wasn't them. They're bluffing, naturally.
This is the confirmation that it was them.
Are you a charlatan?
Are you a guru?
Are you a saint? Are you the Devil?
Are you the Messiah? Are you Christ?
Are you God?
It doesn't matter, Lenny.
I am the Pope.
For me, you are a priest, nothing more.
And you will show me perfect obedience as all priests do.
For that is all we know. That is the Church.
And we answer for the Church.
Your Holiness, you are exactly right.
I'm wrong.
If you continue to listen to me, I will continue to make mistakes.
I'll withdraw to my tower for the rest of my life
and no one will ever see me again.
No, you will not withdraw
you will show yourself to the world.
And you will say what I did not have the courage to say.
- Will you be at my side, Your Holiness? - No.
The moment I have always longed for has finally arrived.
- What moment? - When I fulfil my one and only ambition
to be forgotten.
But you are the Pope.
No.
I am a fragile piece of porcelain.
But I have finally understood
that my fragility is my strength
not my damnation.
What are you gonna do?
Will you return home?
I will return to myself.
Are we sure we didn't forget anything?
Yes, we are, sir.
What shall I do with the box, sir?
Hm...
Let's keep it for now, shall we?
As Cardinal Newman used to say:
"One never knows in life."
Stand up.
♪ You say you're going ♪
♪ But you don't say how long for ♪
♪ You say it's work, but I'm not sure ♪
♪ You say you love me, then you walk right out the door ♪
♪ I'm left here wanting more ♪
♪ Of course there's lots of things I could be getting on with ♪
♪ I'm never short of things to do ♪
♪ This afternoon, I made a papier maché fish, Mum ♪
♪ I made it just for you ♪
♪ Please don't go, stay here with me ♪
♪ It's not my fault ♪
♪ I'm only three, I'm only three, I'm only three ♪
♪ When things feel black and white ♪
♪ We'll do some colouring in... ♪
That's Amber, an escort from Hannover, she follows me everywhere.
Actually, I've recently decided we're gonna get married.
I'm gonna miss you, Voiello.
- You are leaving? - Yep, I'm done here.
- Where will you go? - Korea.
Things are really heating up over there, I'm gonna try and calm them down.
Please don't tell anyone that's where I'm going.
- I didn't need this. - Yeah, I know.
Even though I do all I can to dissuade people
in the end, they always develop a soft spot for me.
You were right, the caliph didn't carry out any attacks in Europe.
Who am I going to talk to now?
Ever since Girolamo died, you have been my only friend.
Relax, Voiello, this is not the 15th century.
With a few precautions, we can talk on the phone.
You better wish me luck, though: I've been dining on clams here.
They're gonna feed me dog soup in Korea.
Isn't he the sweetest thing, my little Bauer octopus?
Please, don't say that, sweetheart
you're demolishing the legend.
Voiello, I need you to explain something to me.
Why would some Catholics try to kill other Catholics?
Because fanaticism and obtuseness
are one and the same thing.
Anyway, they don't eat dog in Korea anymore.
I know, I know, but it doesn't really matter.
Whenever they serve me food, that's gonna be my expectation
that will be my perception: dog.
And as you and I know all too well, my friend
perception is everything.
Sir John...
your parents wish to see you.
They would like to welcome you home.
Our mouths are filled with the word "love".
But I, before anyone else
didn't know how to define it.
Our mouths are filled with the word "beauty".
But I, before anyone else, didn't know how to receive it.
For this, I ask your forgiveness.
Please forgive me.
At times we confound love
with madness.
Beauty with ecstasy.
History has repeated itself
madness and ecstasy have once again
proven to be irresistible temptations
but they always end the way they did on Ventotene...
with unjust death.
In this case, of a good and innocent priest.
There is a life of happiness to be found
in the sphere of gentleness
kindness, mildness
lovingness.
We must learn to be in the world.
And the Church must contemplate the idea
of opening up to the love that is possible
in order to fight against the love that is aberrant.
All this, John Paul III
with great humility
calls "the middle way".
In the past few days, I have understood.
It is not the middle way
it is the way.
Ever since I came back
you've been asking yourselves all sorts of questions.
Is he the Father or the Son?
Is he God or the Holy Spirit?
Is he man or is he Jesus?
Did he wake up or did he rise from the dead?
Is he a saint or is he an impostor?
Is he Christ or is he the Antichrist?
Is he alive or is he dead?
It doesn't matter.
Do you know what is so beautiful about questions?
It's that we don't have the answers.
In the end, only God has the answers.
They're his secret.
God's secret, which only He knows.
That is the mystery in which we believe.
And that is the mystery which guides our conscience.
And now...
I would like to come down among you
and do what I've wanted to do since the first moment.
Embrace you
one by one.
♪ Grows with the speed of the tide ♪
♪ Cold now ♪
♪ I watch the curlews and lapwings ♪
♪ Dig down ♪
♪ To see just what they can find ♪
♪ In the glittering ♪
♪ Estuary mud ♪
♪ Trailing their footprints ♪
♪ Before the flood ♪
♪ Comes round again ♪
♪ And washes away ♪
♪ All but every fragment ♪
♪ What light remains ♪
♪ All but lost to me now ♪
Brother cardinals, after the good fortune of two truly great popes
John Paul III and Pius XIII, what is it we need?
A man steeped in mediocrity.
Dull, hard-working, sensitive
and receptive to the countless requests
of his beloved colleagues in the college of cardinals.
I didn't sleep a wink last night.
I read and reread the pontifical yearbook
a thousand times, and in the end
I didn't find
a single name that responds to the call.
I did.
- I found a name. - Which one, Don Cavallo?
The last one, alphabetically:
Voiello Angelo.
Why do you always have to
make me feel so uneasy?
♪ What I would do to take away this fear of being loved ♪
♪ Allegiance to the pain ♪
♪ Now I'm fucked up and I'm missing you ♪
♪ I'll never be like you ♪
♪ I would give anything to change this fickle-minded heart ♪
♪ That loves fake shiny things ♪
♪ Now I'm fucked up and I'm missing you ♪
♪ I'll never be like you ♪
♪ I'm only human, can't you see? ♪
♪ I made, I made a mistake ♪
♪ Please just look me in my face ♪
♪ Tell me everything's OK ♪
♪ Cos I got it ♪
♪ Ooh, never be like you ♪
♪ I'm only human, can't you see? ♪
♪ I made, I made a mistake ♪
♪ Please just look me in my face ♪
♪ Tell me everything's OK ♪
♪ Cos I got it ♪
♪ Ooh, never be like you ♪
♪ How do I make you wanna stay? ♪
♪ Hate sleeping on my own, missing the way you taste ♪
♪ Now I'm fucked up and I'm missing you ♪
♪ Never be like you ♪
♪ Stop looking at me with those eyes ♪
♪ Like I could disappear and you wouldn't care why ♪
♪ Now I'm fucked up and I'm missing you ♪
♪ Never be like you ♪
♪ I'm only human, can't you see? ♪
♪ I made, I made a mistake ♪
♪ Please just look me in my face ♪
♪ Tell me everything's OK ♪
♪ Cos I got it ♪
♪ Ooh, never be like you ♪
♪ Baby, baby, please believe me ♪
♪ C'mon, take it easy ♪
♪ Please don't ever leave me ♪
♪ Ooh, never be like you ♪