40 years ago, 15 year old Emanuela Orlandi disappeared after attending a music lesson in the city center of Rome. This case is so sensational that it continues to generate much debate and captures the attention of journalists, prosecutors, and the public. 

Emanuela’s father worked for the Pontifical Household of Pope Saint John Paul II and was a citizen of the Vatican State. There are not many lay people who are Vatican citizens and even fewer female teenagers, who go missing. Given the unique circumstances of this case it has been the source of much speculation and sparked headlines for decades now.   

The Holy Father has expressed his closeness to the family and shared his condolences with Emanuela’s next of kin, especially to her mother. He also assured them of his prayers and took the opportunity to express his closeness to all the families around the world who have suffered the disappearance of a loved one. Newspapers and other news outlets are once again filled with headlines about this case, not least because Pope Francis mentioned it so prominently.

This event has even captured the attention of the behemoth streaming service, Netflix, which released a series on the “Vatican Girl” last year. This series attracted a lot of viewers, especially in Italy. Many people who might have had some involvement with the family, or the teenager directly, were interviewed. They speculated and offered various theories about what happened and whether Emanuela Orlandi is really dead or not. 

There have been several investigations into this case, the most recent investigation was opened in January of this year. The Vatican Chief Prosecutor collected all available material and started the proceedings again to understand if it was appropriate to speak of a crime or not. Pope Francis ensured that the Prosecutor would have maximum freedom to do so. 

This month, the Chief Prosecutor confirmed that there are some “leads worthy of further investigation.” These leads were also sent to the prosecutor’s office in Rome, so he could decide whether to open an independent investigation.    

While the Netflix series and other media commentaries speculate that the Vatican might have been involved somehow in Emanuela’s disappearance, there has been a lot undertaken on the side of the Church to bring clarity to this mystery. In 2019, two tombs in the German cemetery inside the Vatican walls were opened because of a tip from the Orlandi family. Yet, nothing was found. Despite many investigations that have found nothing, the Vatican seems to remain open to pursue any lead that could resolve this mysterious and tragic case. 

It is not an easy case and, sadly, we may never discover what really happened to Emauela. It also highlights the unfortunate reality that in the midst of the mystery and intrigue surrounding this case, there are many individuals who are quick to assume that the Church has something to do with any crime or incident.

Edited: Matthew Santucci