Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi
Encyclopedia
Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi was an Italian
medical doctor who served as Pope
Pius XII's personal physician
from 1939 until his dismissal in 1956. During his service in the Vatican he was officially titled "Archiatra Pontificio". The pope also made him an honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
. He managed to be present at the 1958 death of Pius XII and created a scandal in this context with his attempt to publish pictures and stories about the dying pontiff.
Born in Rome
, Galeazzi-Lisi was the half brother of the influential architect and banker Enrico Galeazzi-Lisi, who was instrumental in the excavations under Saint Peter.
, and to an Italian magazine. He also tried to publish a diary which he had composed of the last four days of Pius XII. In a controversial press conference, Galeazzi-Lisi described in great detail the embalming the body of the late Pontiff. He claimed to have used the same system of oils and resins, with which the body of Jesus Christ was preserved. However, heat in the halls, where the body of the late Pope lay in state, caused chemical reactions, according to Galeazzi-Lisi, which required it to be treated twice after the original preparation. Unlike all popes before him, Pope Pius XII did not want the vital organs removed from his body, demanding instead that it be kept in the same condition in which God created it. This novelty, according to Galeazzi-Lisi, was the reason why he and Professor Oreste Nuzzi, an embalmer from Naples, used a different embalming approach, which was complicated by the intense heat in Castel Gandolfo during the embalming preparations. He predicted in the press conference that the embalming system would work to its full extent once the body had been closed in the coffin. He said that he and Professor Nuzzi treated the body of the Pontiff three times altogether.
The treatment was completely opposite to the ordinary embalming style. Instead of draining bodily fluids and keeping the cadaver cold, Lisi covered the dead Pope with a plastic bag, inside which he placed herbs and spices. Virtually elimininating the circulation of air, he dramatically accelerated the anaerobic putrefaction. According to the press, the body literally decomposed before the eyes of the mourners, during the procession from Castel Gandolfo to Rome. Despite Lisi efforts, decomposition was unstoppable: the Pope's chest exploded due to gaseous accumulation, the nose and fingers fell off and the skin turned from yellowish to a morbid black. The stench was so acrid that more than one Guard fainted.
He was censured by the Italian Medical council for unethical behaviour, a decision which he managed to revert on procedural grounds. He was also held responsible for the premature wires news of the death of Pope Pius. Allegedly he had told waiting journalists, he would open the window of the Papal bedroom as soon as the pope died. The window was later opened by an unsuspecting nun, who thus triggered the news of the death of Pope Pius, while he was still fighting for his life. Observers at the time did not blame Galeazzi alone. For the first time in Church history, modern news media such as television
were fully present and many traditional positions in the Papal residence Castel Gandolfo
were vacant or understaffed. The television challenge was in collision with an unprepared, understaffed Papal summer residence.
Galeazzi-Lisi was never officially blamed for his embalming services, nor was he ever blamed by the Vatican for the medical condition of the Pope, which, as with all Popes, was in the hand of a committee of doctors. He was punished for his indiscretion with the media and his misuse of his medical privileges. He was also banned from Vatican City
for life.
In 1960, Galeazzi-Lisi attempted to dispel accusations made against him, in his book Dans l'Ombre et la Lumière de Pie XII ("In the Shadow and the Light of Pius XII").
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
medical doctor who served as Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Pius XII's personal physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
from 1939 until his dismissal in 1956. During his service in the Vatican he was officially titled "Archiatra Pontificio". The pope also made him an honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
Pontifical Academy of Sciences
The Pontifical Academy of Sciences is a scientific academy of the Vatican, founded in 1936 by Pope Pius XI. It is placed under the protection of the reigning Supreme Pontiff. Its aim is to promote the progress of the mathematical, physical and natural sciences and the study of related...
. He managed to be present at the 1958 death of Pius XII and created a scandal in this context with his attempt to publish pictures and stories about the dying pontiff.
Born in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Galeazzi-Lisi was the half brother of the influential architect and banker Enrico Galeazzi-Lisi, who was instrumental in the excavations under Saint Peter.
Controversy
After the death of Pius XII, Galeazzi-Lisi gave an article and photographs of the dead Pope to a French magazine, Paris MatchParis Match
Paris Match is a French weekly magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. It was founded in 1949 by the industrialist Jean Prouvost....
, and to an Italian magazine. He also tried to publish a diary which he had composed of the last four days of Pius XII. In a controversial press conference, Galeazzi-Lisi described in great detail the embalming the body of the late Pontiff. He claimed to have used the same system of oils and resins, with which the body of Jesus Christ was preserved. However, heat in the halls, where the body of the late Pope lay in state, caused chemical reactions, according to Galeazzi-Lisi, which required it to be treated twice after the original preparation. Unlike all popes before him, Pope Pius XII did not want the vital organs removed from his body, demanding instead that it be kept in the same condition in which God created it. This novelty, according to Galeazzi-Lisi, was the reason why he and Professor Oreste Nuzzi, an embalmer from Naples, used a different embalming approach, which was complicated by the intense heat in Castel Gandolfo during the embalming preparations. He predicted in the press conference that the embalming system would work to its full extent once the body had been closed in the coffin. He said that he and Professor Nuzzi treated the body of the Pontiff three times altogether.
The treatment was completely opposite to the ordinary embalming style. Instead of draining bodily fluids and keeping the cadaver cold, Lisi covered the dead Pope with a plastic bag, inside which he placed herbs and spices. Virtually elimininating the circulation of air, he dramatically accelerated the anaerobic putrefaction. According to the press, the body literally decomposed before the eyes of the mourners, during the procession from Castel Gandolfo to Rome. Despite Lisi efforts, decomposition was unstoppable: the Pope's chest exploded due to gaseous accumulation, the nose and fingers fell off and the skin turned from yellowish to a morbid black. The stench was so acrid that more than one Guard fainted.
Dismissal and censure
On October 20, 1958, the cardinals, before their conclave – not Pope John as some claimed, since there existed no pope that day – dismissed him. At the request of the assembled Cardinals he had to resign that day, October 20, 1958. He was succeeded as Archiatra Pontificio by Professor Gasperini, who already was a member of the medical team.He was censured by the Italian Medical council for unethical behaviour, a decision which he managed to revert on procedural grounds. He was also held responsible for the premature wires news of the death of Pope Pius. Allegedly he had told waiting journalists, he would open the window of the Papal bedroom as soon as the pope died. The window was later opened by an unsuspecting nun, who thus triggered the news of the death of Pope Pius, while he was still fighting for his life. Observers at the time did not blame Galeazzi alone. For the first time in Church history, modern news media such as television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
were fully present and many traditional positions in the Papal residence Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo is a small Italian town or comune in Lazio that occupies a height overlooking Lake Albano about 15 miles south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills. It is best known as the summer residence of the Pope. It is an Italian town with the population of 8834...
were vacant or understaffed. The television challenge was in collision with an unprepared, understaffed Papal summer residence.
Galeazzi-Lisi was never officially blamed for his embalming services, nor was he ever blamed by the Vatican for the medical condition of the Pope, which, as with all Popes, was in the hand of a committee of doctors. He was punished for his indiscretion with the media and his misuse of his medical privileges. He was also banned from Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
for life.
In 1960, Galeazzi-Lisi attempted to dispel accusations made against him, in his book Dans l'Ombre et la Lumière de Pie XII ("In the Shadow and the Light of Pius XII").