Bones Were Found in Search for Missing Teen

Earlier today the mystery surrounding a 36 year old missing persons case deepened as thousands of unidentified bones were found at the Vatican. The search was for a missing Italian girl who had disappeared in 1983. Emanuela Orlandi was the 15 year old daughter of a Vatican employee who suddenly and mysteriously vanished.

Italian media report that the floor involved was last renovated in the 1980s. BBC

From NBCNews: “The Vatican on Thursday had pried open the tombs of two 19th-century German princesses in the cemetery of the Pontifical Teutonic College in hopes of finding the remains of Emanuela Orlandi, after her family received a tip she might be buried there.”

It turned out to be a disappointment for Orlandi’s family, the tombs found empty of even the two princesses remains. It is said that structural work had been done on two different occasions, the second being 60 years ago, and could account for why the princesses remains were missing. However, an ongoing search within the cemetery has unearthed another mystery.

Thousands of bones from unidentified persons were discovered in the cemetery. From RT: “Forensic workers extracted thousands of bones from the burial chambers that are believed to belong to dozens of people on Saturday. The Vatican did not speculate about who the bones may belong to, but a representative for the family of Emanuela Orlandi was present when the extraction took place.”

Extensive DNA Testing Expected

The bones will undergo extensive DNA testing to discover who they belonged to, but the brother of Emanuela Orlandi said that if any were recent, “It will be a problem for the Vatican.” AP reports that the Vatican has vowed to keep investigating and cautions again that structural work done in the cemetery may account for the displacement of remains.

The latest structural work recorded was in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Emanuela Orlandi disappeared in 1983. On being made aware of the find, the Orlandi’s lawyer had this to say: “Our interest is to actively cooperate with Vatican prosecutors to understand better how those two tombs could have been empty. If we understand together, it’s better.”

Given the thousands of children who go missing every year worldwide, and have gone missing for decades, it isn’t hard to speculate that at least some of those children may have finally been found. Orlandi’s case may just be one of hundreds of thousands.

Document Links the Vatican to Disappearance

In 2017, an Italian investigative journalist produced a five page document found in a locked Vatican cabinet. The document linked the Vatican to Orlandi’s disappearance, causing an upheaval. The Vatican branded the document a fake, but didn’t provide a reason why the document was sealed within its walls.

The document was supposedly written by an official at the Vatican, and is said to contain a running tally of the girl’s upkeep from the time she went missing. Emanuela was not the only girl to go missing in 1983 who is said to have connections to the Vatican. Mirella Gregori had also been reported missing at around the same time.

It was hoped that this unearthing would produce the remains of either of the girls, or both. The fact that thousands of bones were found renders that a result that remains to be seen, as the examination of so many bones will take a rather long time. CBS News reports that a Vatican statement released Saturday failed to note the number of remains discovered under the Teutonic College. Forensic work will continue on July 27.

Coincidence?

This find comes amidst a flurry of activity bringing down an extensive network of child trafficking and pedophelia rings worldwide. This alone could fuel speculation that the Vatican has had more to do with these things than the “Holy See” wishes to confess to. The BBC has this to say: “Human remains have often been found before below the floors of Vatican buildings, and Vatican sources suggested there had once been a cemetery at the nunciature.”

“However, Italian media report that the floor involved was last renovated in the 1980s, and that the manner of burial suggested those involved had not died of natural causes.” Just one more of those things that make you go hmm.