I don't know for certain, but I certainly think it was. I'm sure there was a Challenge article at one point about Italy in 2300 which I think stated that Venice was the largest Italian city to escape destruction, so that would suggest Rome gets whacked...

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.

However there's also the possibility that the Pope would choose to remain in Rome and put his fate in God's hands so to speak...

One thing for sure I think is that there will a Pope, but possibly not John Paul II. If John Paul is dead (or missing) there may even be more than one Pope, with various candidates putting themselves forward and claiming the Papacy?

I don't believe there is any information at all about possible nuke sites in Italy. It wouldn't surprise me though.
The Soviets may even have been the ones doing to their apparent allies just so they can blame it on the US. Imagine the worldwide outrage if the Vatican went up in radioactive flames!
I believe that's actually happened once or twice in the past too.

OT: Pope, religion and the "devil"
 

Slightly OT, but it fits in here nicely:
Maybe this is a kind of silly idea, but I thought about it for some time. When you have a look at the military signs of the most important armed forces, there seems to be a preference for a five-pointed star. The US military and the Soviets use this emblem. As a red or as a white or black star. A religious madman could argument, that this is the pentagram of a devil's worshipper in disguise.
This has not necessarily to be a Polish "pious" man, but I thought about a local "militia", that tries to fight against all folks, that have to be (from the mad priest's point of view!) sent by the Devil.

Given the state of mind of several people on the edge of insanity, this could be a hook for a small, area based adventure. I'd put it into Poland because of the high percentage of catholics. (Just in case you'd ask: No, I don't think that such an idea would be common!)

If the pope had been killed or if he had moved to another city in Italy or even to a city in France (Avignon had been the city, where some medivial popes resided.), such reasoning might be the trigger for a mad religious character.

Okay, end of OT, back to topic :o

Even more OT, but sort of fits here:

I've discussed the possibility that many apocalyptic cults would spring up -- people thinking they were "left behind," people thinking that God is punishing Mankind, people thinking that it is the end times, people thinking that they are God's warriors in the end times.

Avignon was the city where several medieval "anti-popes" elected and supported by the French kings resided. That's going to be one of the LAST places the Pope will be heading, IMO. Switzerland is much more likely.

It might be interesting for the PCs to have to rescue the Pope from French-occupied territory.

And maybe he has to be convinced to be rescued -- he feels he must form a core of resistance.

And he has to forgive and take confession from a chaplain who has taken up arms.

I'm sure there's more possibilities there.

How about a modern-day incarnation of warrior-monks, similar to the Templars?

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

Yeah right... the guy drives around in an armored car when in public.

Well, it's kind of like a nun character put it on an episode of House I saw recently:

"I believe that if I fall off a ladder and break my leg, God has a purpose in that. But I also believe he wants me to see a doctor and get a cast put on it."

Nothing wrong with availing yourself of modern technology, even if you are religious.