1932: Playing with the Japanese Communist Party with a doll

“Father!!!”

Someone cried out in fear and sorrow, but Father Anderson simply looked up, flashing a terrifying smile, one burned by flames, and summoning his last bit of strength:

"The Church needs to be purified! God's wrath will wash away the lies! May my ashes become grains of wheat for sowing! The lambs will eventually see through the shepherd's whip and return to God's arms!"

"Lord! Please allow me to use my life to awaken the world!"

"Lord! Please forgive my sins!"

Until he completely lost his voice, the priest's body was still kneeling there firmly.

Not moving at all.

505 True Saint

The shadow cast by the dome of St. Peter's Basilica wiped away the last pool of blood before daybreak;

Twenty Swiss Guards were washing the granite floor with holy water mixed with incense ash, but no matter how many times they washed it, fine dark red marks still appeared in the cracks of the stone.

It was not known whether it was residual blood or the fragments of rose petals that were burned along with Father Anderson and then trampled during the firefighting.

But in short, the six hundred bouquets of roses that the Vatican urgently requisitioned last night were piled at the side door, ready to cover all traces of the burn after morning prayers.

It is relatively simple to deal with these "things", but when it comes to dealing with "people", the level of trouble increases by more than an order of magnitude.

In the morning in the Vatican, the bells of St. Peter's Basilica still echoed over Rome, but the atmosphere inside the church was completely different from usual. The cardinals gathered in the Pope's meeting room, their faces as solemn as the sky covered by dark clouds.

"Where are the people? Have all the witnesses been controlled?" "No...no...I...I can't guarantee..."

In response to the cardinals' questions, the first bishop to arrive at the scene answered timidly.

There were so many people at the scene that before he arrived with the Swiss Guards, some sensitive and knowledgeable believers and reporters had already slipped away. No one was sure how many had actually escaped.

In the Cardinals' Council Chamber, the Prime Minister, Cardinal von Lateran, looked gloomy and had no intention of even asking about the details of the tragedy that took place before the evening prayers.

In his hand was a photo that he had just confiscated from a reporter. Anderson's charred right hand was pointing at the statue of Christ with a missing corner. The leaden morning light seeped in through the stained glass window, making the back of his hand look like a wax figure.

With such an earth-shattering event, he, as the highest manager of the Vatican's secular affairs, was unforgivable. It was conceivable that he would never have the chance to become the first cardinal or even the throne of the Pope.

But surprisingly, Cardinal P. Gaspari, who had always been at odds with him, did not take advantage of the situation to add insult to injury. Instead, he took the initiative to help him deal with the aftermath:

"...Don't worry about those things that are currently unknown! Solve the current problem first!"

As he spoke, he glared at Cardinal Lateran, who was still in a daze. "Don't just stand there like a stone! This is a crisis for the entire Vatican and even the entire Catholic Church!"

n

This remark awakened Cardinal Lateran and several other cardinals who subconsciously tried to stay out of the matter.

Yes, what happened this time was different from the past, because the way Anderson died was too religiously significant, so much so that even the top Vatican officials, whose religious knowledge was considered world-class, felt suffocated.

Believers who had betrayed God due to the devil's instigation have now come to their senses and voluntarily chosen to judge themselves, willing to fall into hell and endure the heaviest punishment in order to seek God's forgiveness.

So, who is the "devil" who deserves the most severe punishment from God? There is no doubt about it, right?

It is no exaggeration to say that this is the highest level of accusation that a Christian can make, and it is far more harmful to the Vatican than what Mussolini did a few years ago.

Damn Anderson, he used his life to bring heresy to the Vatican!

It was always the Church that judged others, but this time, they were judged by their own believers!

So, this is a holy war-level threat, with a full-stat holy special attack:

Flash of Holy Light! Holy Shock! Beacon of Holy Light! Infusion of Holy Light! Blade of Dawn! God's Blessing! Wrath of the Martyr!

It was probably this set of smooth combos that hit the head of the Church hard. After the Church, which relied on religion for its survival, was defined as a demon, its holy resistance was all negative, and this wave of damage was pure real damage.

If any group in human society wants to gather and organize, it must have a "totem" to bring everyone together;

This totem may be money, religion, nation, or the Internationale.

Anderson's self-immolation completely shook the Vatican's "totem." If non-Catholics and non-religious people can't understand the enormity of this injury, let me put it another way, perhaps you'll understand.

Imagine, in the People's Republic of China, there is an officer like this:

My great-grandfather was a veteran of the Long March who died in the Pingxingguan Victory. My grandfather fought in the three major battles and blocked a bullet hole in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. My father defeated India but lost both legs in the Two Mountains War. My mother is a national red flag bearer. My brother and sister died in the Mekong River and the Wuhan epidemic respectively. I am an outstanding graduate of the National Defense University and have won several first, second and third class merits.

One day, the officer came to Tiananmen Square wearing his old military uniform, with the national flag rolled up around his body, the party emblem and his family's medals on his chest, a copy of Mao's Selected Works in his left hand and a blood-stained copy of Demon Slayer in his right hand. After singing the Internationale and the national anthem in tears, he shouted "Long live the people" three times and then ran into the Monument to the People's Heroes and died.

A man of good family background, outstanding achievements, sacrificed his entire family, and died by hitting the monument...

Anyone who is still Chinese can imagine how many ministerial and department-level officials will be dismissed, how many senior officials will step down, and what kind of turmoil will occur across the country.

What can be confirmed is that the sound of gunfire is definitely the same as during the Chinese New Year.

The collapse of every "empire" is slow in the early stages, but if a landmark event occurs, it will suddenly accelerate and there will be no room for recovery.

Anderson's self-immolation was of such a terrifying level that if it wasn't handled properly, it wasn't impossible that the Holy See would be completely destroyed.

Of course, if it weren't for this era of rapid information flow, if Anderson hadn't chosen the crucial time of evening prayer, if there weren't so many people at the scene, if...

In short, if there weren't so many ifs, it would be quite easy for the Vatican to deal with such matters - the worst that could happen is to block the news!

But the problem is, this time, this place, this many people and most importantly:

The wild saint from the other side of the ocean is coming soon!

If that woman knew about this, it is hard to imagine that she would not seize this great opportunity to make a big fuss about it.

Given the explosive nature of this incident, the US's propaganda capabilities, and Springfield's own special status...

—Thinking of this, all the cardinals shuddered and, before His Holiness the Pope could speak, they tried their best to come up with a plan:

"Immediately destroy all footage from the scene, silence all witnesses, and tell reporters that all the undeveloped film has gotten damp... Money, status, anything goes! Don't be stingy!"

"Notify the seminary and immediately compile a file on Anderson's mental illness history, tracing back at least to his grandfather... No, even to his adoptive father and grandfather, all the way back to his grandfather!"

"Not only that, but we also have to add 'being misled by heresy'. Prepare the press release and statement in advance! Every word must be carefully considered and everyone must read it!"

"Also, send someone to find Anderson's relatives and get them Swiss passports—send them to Switzerland immediately... No, if possible, send them as far away as possible!"

Hearing this, a young priest who was recording in the meeting hall raised his hand tremblingly:

"Your Excellency..." "Hmm?"

"As far as...as far as I know, except for an uncle, Father Anderson...Father Anderson has no relatives and no descendants."

"No relatives or descendants? How is that possible? Didn't he raise any..."

The cardinal who was speaking realized that he had spoken out of turn and quickly shut up.

As we all know, Catholic priests, bishops, cardinals and even the Pope are not allowed to marry and have children, "so that they can better serve God";

Of course, regulations are regulations, and actual implementation is actual implementation.

Within the Catholic Church, behaviors such as playing with little boys, keeping mistresses, and visiting prostitutes are commonplace, and as long as they are not too extreme, no one will investigate them in detail.

As for the idea that "nuns are priests' wives, sex slaves, reproductive machines, and important tools for raising illegitimate children," it has almost become a default assumption.

It is hard to imagine that there are priests who are as clean as paper in this regard, given that these cardinals have risen from filth.

"...Furthermore, Father Anderson has no personal property. Almost all of his income is used to help the poor and donated to..."

After learning about these circumstances, even the cardinals, who were experienced and hardened as iron, could not help but feel a tightness in their chests.

There really are such fools... Saints... "Let's do this for now!"

After his deputy, Cardinal Basil, consulted, Pope Pius X, who seemed ten years older, agreed and waved his hand wearily:

"Everyone, do everything you can to prepare for the storm!" "Yes..."

Despite the Vatican's best efforts to cover it up, and despite the fact that it had already reached a settlement with the Mohist disciple, some newspapers still couldn't help but break the news.

And then...then it was the usual pressure, threats, and bribery! Some were successful, some failed.

At least, when the editor-in-chief of the Italian newspaper Solidaridad, which had already gone underground, faced the Vatican personnel who came to threaten and pressure them and the police who arrested them, he suddenly pulled out a Luger and roared:

"Did you know that journalists' ashes are the best additive for ink?"

The most important thing is that the complete news finally reached Haruta's ears.

"...Father Anderson... He really looks like Aaron Bushnell..." "Ms. Field, who is that?"

"I know a saint whose character is every bit as noble as that of Father Anderson."

Haruta crossed himself sincerely and drummed his fingers on the table.

Well, after a brief sigh, how should this matter be handled and utilized?

Honestly, if it were just to expose the dark side of the Vatican, it would be too easy for Haruta:

Cardinal Gaspari's gold account voucher hidden in a Milan bank, the autopsy report of an underage altar boy, a list of sacred vessels sent to Mussolini's regime...

The problem is that although the revelations of these things have caused some damage to the Vatican, the scope of the impact is too wide and the intensity of the attack is too low.

Moreover, it is easy for the top leaders of the Holy See to misjudge the situation and take desperate measures.

At this critical moment on the eve of World War II, Springfield and the United States had to focus on dealing with national affairs, and religious issues could only be considered incidental.

The Holy See is indeed an enemy, but for the time being, it cannot become an outright mortal enemy.

If the other party jumps out and declares Springfield a "heretic" and calls on believers around the world to collectively rise up and attack the United States, it will still cause some unnecessary trouble.

Therefore, from the perspective of Springfield and the United States and taking into account the current political needs, the best way to deal with this matter is to write to the Vatican and request a meeting with Anderson, thereby giving the Vatican sufficient time to properly handle the matter.

In this way, the Holy See would feel the pressure and threat and make concessions on some subsequent issues, but it would not lead to a complete breakdown and direct fighting.

Well...

Why not ask the commander? I guess he will agree.

Chuntian had just sent the message when there was a knock on the door: "Ms. Field! A long telegram from Washington!" "What's it?"

"It's signed by Anderson's uncle!"

"To the messenger of light walking among the thorns - Ms. Springfield:"

"As you unfold this letter, written in holy oil on the curtain of the confessional, my charred finger bones may be ground into powder by the cardinals to be inlaid with the ring of authority;"

"Please do not mourn for me—I would rather choose the blood of the roses on the banks of the Tiber as my last communion than the poisoned wine mixed with honey in the chalice;"

"I believe you have seen God, because I have seen Him too—an old man with his back bent by a gilded cross and his fingernails stuffed with diamonds he had dug out of the stomachs of starving African children;"

"Perhaps this is not the image of God, but those cardinals who rewrote Matthew 5 into a manual for pedophilia and had Jesus consecrate the mustard gas in the arsenal are undoubtedly blasphemers of God;"

"The Bible is burning, and its ashes are transformed into white doves that fly to the split lips of Milanese prostitutes, while the mistress of the Roman bursar is drinking champagne from our chalice;"

"When those depraved maggots stamped the birth insurance contracts for virgin girls, they never imagined that a priest would find seven different versions of the Lateran Treaty in the Vatican archives;"

"When I heard the nine-year-old boy in the confessional recount the bishop's abuse, the raindrops outside the window suddenly turned into burning lead bullets, shattering the last of my faith.

"I don't want to continue recounting their sins and my suffering here. I just want to tell you that I will purify my soul with fire and use the theological knowledge I have learned throughout my life to make a final accusation against the Vatican..."

"There's a box of film hidden in the base of the Pietà statue. Please carefully open it when you have the chance. It contains evidence of the Vatican's sale of Ukrainian relief grain in 1931, and also..."

"Ms. Field, please don't waste your time mourning for me. Please make full use of my death and the evidence I gave you. Please, on behalf of God, destroy this church that no longer represents God's will!"

"Finally, I humbly plead that one day in the future, when you stand on the Holy Stairs to judge these venomous snakes, please do not forget that there was a pitiful priest who, until his death, dared not look directly into your eyes filled with pure flames."

After reading the telegram in which Father Anderson described his entire plan and expressed his struggles and ideals, Chuntian was silent for a while and wiped his wet eyes.

Seriously, why give a doll the ability to cry?

Human beings always do some unexpected yet great and inexplicable things.

Just like the soldiers of the new Soviet Union, they are true saints.

Regardless of nationality, race, ethnicity, or faith. "Ms. Field..."

The telegraph operators and attendants who read the telegram clenched their fists, their eyes were red, and they wished they could destroy the Vatican immediately.

Everyone was quietly waiting for Haruta's decision. "Give me my pen."

True saint, please let me be willful for you just this once.

Soon, an article written by Ms. Field titled "The Flame of the Saints Will Never Go Out - Requiem for Father Gerald Anderson" shocked the entire United States, Europe and even the world.

"...brave journalists brought me this tragic news. It was said that the match failed to light three times in a row, and only succeeded on the fourth attempt. Even the flame hesitated, but he did not... "

"...I didn't ask God why, but I guess the angels couldn't bear to see such a holy soul fall into hell, so they tried to persuade God's people. So Anderson leaned over and borrowed the fire from Satan..."

"...He remained motionless in the flames, praying softly until his body was reduced to a charred black. But his face, charred like a dead tree, was closer to God's original image than any of the apostles in the Sistine Chapel ceiling painting..."

"In this age where bishops compete to dilute the sacramental wine with the tears of pedophiles, what kind of breathtaking purity and willpower does a true saint need to not be dissolved by darkness?"

"This clergyman who gave every louis of gold to the children of the slums finally chose to let the fire of Dante's purgatory flow up the stairway to heaven, illuminating all the poisonous insects in the gilded confessional..."

When seeing this, many people burst into tears.