Quote:
Originally Posted by Rainbow Six
One of T2K's unanswerable questions I think...I can't recall ever reading a single word about the Pope in canon, so everyone is going to have their own thoughts. For myself, I think it's possible that the Pope may have left Rome at some point during the summer of 1997 for somewhere perceived to be safer (Switzerland maybe, although the possibility of the French offering sanctuary has come up before). Catalyst for such a move could be the Italian entry into the War.
|
R6,
I can't see Pope John Paul II supporting or condoning Italy's alliance with the USSR, although the Vatican may be pragmatic enough to not be anything more than vocal. In WWII the Papacy did not relocate, but I see the political situation in the Twilight War being different and Rome was not in danger of nuclear destruction back then.
That said, if push comes to shove I could easily see the Holy See/Papacy relocating to Switzerland, considering that country's neutrality, staunch Catholicism and thorough preparations for nuclear war. France is an option due to these factors as well, but if the Papacy relocates it I have a feeling it would probably be to Switzerland as there is a slightly less likelihood of eventual nuclear attack (although a higher chance of Soviet ground invasion).
Further, I can also see a great many pre-millennial Christian groups and militias springing up (as happened in the real world around T2K). In the T2K timeline Y2K wasn't such a fizzle in apocalyptic terms!
But both these points probably deserve a new thread.
Tony