logo
episode-header-image
May 2025
39m 18s

The Short Reign and Mysterious Death of ...

SPOTIFY STUDIOS
About this episode
In the early 1970s, when he was still an Archbishop, Albino Luciani caught wind of a shady banking scheme involving Italian banker Roberto Calvi and the Vatican. Years later – and just 33 days into his tenure as Pope John Paul I – he was found dead. Did stepping into the Vatican’s affairs cost him his life? Keep up with us on Instagram @theconspiracypod! Le ... Show More
Up next
Nov 19
Tesla's Death Ray
Nikola Tesla patented over 300 inventions. When he died, the US government confiscated 80 trunks of his notes and blueprints… and only returned 60 to his heir. In his lifetime, Tesla tinkered with weather control machines, alien transmission readers, and a “death ray” that would ... Show More
50m 6s
Nov 13
Was the Lindbergh Kidnapping an Inside Job?
Several murders have been dubbed “the crime of the century," but the Lindbergh kidnapping case of 1932 might actually deserve the title. According to some, it shaped the culture of conspiracy theories in America. Was Bruno Richard Hauptmann really guilty, or was he framed? Did he ... Show More
44m 44s
Nov 5
Travis Walton's Alien Abduction
November 5th, 2025 is the 50th anniversary of the events that inspired the 1993 film, Fire in the Sky. Seven lumberjacks saw a UFO… and one was pulled inside. Some say the men invented the story to dodge a work deadline. But the lumberjacks claim their chief debunker… is a govern ... Show More
47m 45s
Recommended Episodes
May 2025
CLASSIC: A Dead Pope Goes To Court
The Catholic Church is no stranger to scandal and controversy, but in January of 897 the institution was home to a new and unique scandal that put the garden variety tales of adultery and financial corruption to shame. Listen in to learn what drove Pope Stephen VI (also sometimes ... Show More
27m 26s
Jun 2024
You Might Also Like: The Confessions of Anthony Raimondi
In 1978, Pope John Paul I was found dead in his bed just 33 days after he was elected. The official story is that he suffered a fatal heart attack. But in the years since his death, some have claimed he was murdered to cover up crimes in the Vatican. The question of the Pope’s de ... Show More
32m 55s
Feb 2023
Popes
<p>It has been 10 years since Pope Benedict XVI announced his shock resignation. It was the first time in almost 600 years that a pope had stepped down.</p><p>In this programme, we hear stories about the history of the papacy, including how a pope is chosen, the inception of Vati ... Show More
51m 22s
May 2025
Conclave: How a new pope is chosen
In April 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI following the death of Pope John Paul II.The new leader of the Catholic Church was elected after four ballots of the papal conclave. The late Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor was one of 115 cardinals who took part.H ... Show More
10m 40s
May 2025
Old Pope, New Pope
‘The Church​ needs to change; the Church cannot afford to change,’ Colm Tóibín wrote recently in the LRB. In this episode of the podcast, he joins Tom to discuss how the new pope will have to navigate this paradox. He also looks back at the Francis papacy, and the way that Franci ... Show More
43m 45s
Apr 2025
About 250,000 People Paid Respects To Pope Francis Over 3 Days
With Pope Francis' funeral just hours away, the Vatican says about 250,000 paid their respects to the pontiff in St. Peter’s Basilica. Francis was known for his love of those on the margins - immigrants, the poor, those too often shunted aside. CNN’s Clarissa Ward talks with a fe ... Show More
45m 1s
Feb 2013
The Other Pope Benedict Who Resigned
<p>Long before Benedict XVI's resignation, Benedict IX resigned. Benedict IX was one of the youngest (and most notorious) men ever to become pope, and his abuse of power was legendary. He became pope three times and sold the title at one point.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your a ... Show More
39m 41s
Apr 2025
Pope Francis Dies at 88
Today we examine the life and legacy of Pope Francis, the first pope born in Latin America and a man who transformed the church.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
48m 52s
Apr 2025
Pope Francis Has Died. What’s Next for the Catholic Church?
On Monday morning, Pope Francis died at 88. The first South American to hold the office, he was known for his commitment to social and economic justice. WSJ’s Margherita Stancati discusses Francis’ legacy and explains what happens next for the Catholic Church. Jessica Mendoza hos ... Show More
17m 55s
May 2024
05/19/2024: Pope Francis, Cuban Spycraft, The Album
Norah O'Donnell meets Pope Francis for a rare and historic interview at his home, the Santa Marta guest house in Vatican City, a week before the Catholic Church hosts its inaugural World Children's Day. The 87-year-old, Argentinian-born pope - the first named Francis and first fr ... Show More
48m 14s