Was the Pope poisoned?

Was the Pope poisoned?

Was the late Pope John Paul I the victim of a poisoning in the style of the House of Borgia? The French Vatican specialist Jacques Théry raises this possibility in all seriousness in his book “A Letter from Rome on the Very Special Appearance of John Paul I.”

According to him, the poison may have been mixed into the sacramental wine used by the predecessor of the current pope, who, as we recall, held office for only a few months. Throughout those months he never stopped saying that he was nothing but a “poor man.” This view, says Théry, was soon adopted by the cardinals, who accused him, among other things, of depleting the Vatican treasury by sending huge sums for charitable purposes around the world. Théry notes that the Vatican refused to perform an autopsy on the pope’s body, and that his body was embalmed four hours after his death. None of his many servants noticed his cries for help, which, judging by the “harsh lines” on the dead man’s face, must presumably have been shouted. Moreover, none of the doctors who determined the cause of death agreed to answer journalists’ questions, and the French cardinal Villot, his deputy until a successor was elected, who had promised to provide explanations on the matter, himself died a short time later without having had the chance to say anything.

Recently, voices have grown calling on Pope John Paul II to order the establishment of an investigative committee to clarify the circumstances of the death of his unfortunate predecessor.

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The French New Right may visit Israel

These days, the most important leaders of the New Right in France are discussing the possibility of visiting Israel.

It all began with the initiative of a quick-witted Parisian travel agent, who proposed to the editors of the weekly magazine “Figaro Magazine”—the main platform for the leading racist “elitist” theorists of the New Right (such as Louis Pauwels, the magazine’s editor, and Alain de Benoist, the central philosopher of this school of thought, which serves as the basis for the activity of not-at-all-new neo-Nazis)—that they hold a seminar in Israel. The people at “Figaro Magazine,” I am told, showed great interest in this possibility, “to see at close quarters the life of the Jewish people and state.” At the same time, again through the same agent, they approached Israeli sources to find out whether they could guarantee their safety against harassment by “irresponsible elements.” The Israeli sources contented themselves with replying that there was nothing to prevent “Figaro Magazine” or any other French journalist from visiting Israel as guests with equal rights.

Now, as noted, the leaders of the New Right are checking whether this answer is enough to dispel their concerns. So far they have been careful not to approach Israel directly about the matter, and it will be interesting to see whether this intriguing affair gives rise to a visit that may (or might) prove no less “interesting” for both sides...

French palms for Arab countries

It sounds like a joke, but it is the unvarnished truth. France exports palm trees to the Arabian Peninsula. The Californian variety of palm, grown in Hyères in southern France, now adorns the roads leading to the princes’ villas in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Gulf emirates. They arrive at heights of fifty centimetres to three metres. There, in the sands, they grow to as much as twenty metres. French landscape architects are responsible for designing many gardens on the estates of Arab sheikhs.

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Who is buying Rothschild shares?

David de Rothschild, business manager of the Rothschild house in France, recently had to take an unusual step: he personally acted to lower the value of shares in his mining companies by announcing a reduction in the company dividend to as little as 40 percent of its previous level. It is true that, according to economists’ estimates, the Rothschilds had in recent years distributed dividends in excess of what the actual state of their businesses warranted, but the move was made mainly to make these shares less attractive to buy.

Recently, the Rothschilds have been particularly concerned by the actions of an “invisible hand” that has been buying substantial quantities of shares in the mining companies, including uranium mines in Niger. The assessment is that this was done by the large American mining companies. But there are other rumors too. The Rothschilds are trying to protect their mines from a foreign takeover, but their financial position, in the opinion of experts, is steadily deteriorating. Relatively speaking, of course.

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Juice and caviar at the House of Iran

Great anger is brewing among the regular patrons of the “House of Iran” in Paris. The reason: the new “Ayatollah-style” menu the establishment is offering its loyal customers.

Until now, they could enjoy plenty of caviar accompanied by champagne, as it should be. Now, although caviar is still plentiful, the gourmands have to make do with fruit juices as their drink. Alcohol is forbidden under Islamic law. The matter is being checked by special “kosher inspectors” who arrived from Tehran.

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35 years of the “Lido”

The famous Paris “Lido” club recently celebrated the 35th anniversary of its founding with a new revue, featuring, as usual, spectacular and very young beauties in minimal clothing, which soon disappeared too.

The rules guiding the establishment’s managers in their selection of dancers are extremely strict, and may remind some people of Fellini’s “8½.” The place employs girls aged 16 to 22 only. “After that we send them home to their parents, or steer them toward another career,” says Christian Clerico, the boss, who, incidentally, holds a degree in international law from Harvard University. He himself passed the critical age long ago, but feels excellent. Since the 1960s the Japanese have taken the place of the American visitors, who disappeared, according to Clerico, because of de Gaulle’s anti-American policy. The problem with the Japanese was that their tour organizers planned such a packed schedule for them that, when they reached the Lido at the end of the day, they simply fell asleep in the middle of the most thrilling numbers. Now spring is blooming again between France and the United States, and the dollar has strengthened too. A rosy future for business.

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Arno Breker’s invitation

The sculptor Arno Breker, favorite of many executioners of the Third Reich, continues to sculpt undisturbed to this day. He even specializes in portraits of statesmen. After Chancellor Adenauer and Léopold Sédar Senghor, he recently worked on a statue of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.

But the intention to invite him to take part in an exhibition devoted to French art during the German occupation provoked a wave of protests, and most of the exhibiting artists threatened to withdraw. Breker reacted with great astonishment to the demand that his invitation be canceled.

“Even in 1942,” he said, deeply offended, “I was France’s official guest in Paris.” In any case, the management of the Centre Pompidou has not yet abandoned the idea of exhibiting Breker’s sculptures, even in his absence, in the name of “artistic freedom.” As for the exhibition, scheduled for the end of May, a sharp dispute is still expected. Meanwhile, those in the know say, Breker did, after all, make an “incognito” visit to Paris.

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A new adventure for Renaud–Barrault

A new theater for the noble duo of French theater, Jean-Louis Barrault and Madeleine Renaud. From the picturesque Orsay railway station on the banks of the Seine, which they turned into an even more picturesque theater, they are moving to the Théâtre du Rond-Point, not far from the president’s palace on the Champs-Élysées. This is the ninth theater of the “Compagnie Renaud-Barrault,” and it is right next to the Théâtre Marigny, where they began performing in 1946.

“In thirty-four years of work,” Barrault jokes, “I’ve advanced only three hundred meters.” The first play: “L’Amour de l’amour,” written by Barrault himself in the style of the finest French classicists; then Beckett’s “Happy Days,” in Madeleine Renaud’s unforgettable performance. Symbolic titles for the ever-new and always fascinating adventure of the couple who never grow old.