At the beginning of September 1978, Metropolitan Nikodim and Pope John Paul I were among the most important figures in the church. Their unique meeting was supposed to offer hope for a warming of relations between the USSR and the West, as well as the liberation of the faithful from Communist resistance. However, the clerics met their deaths over the next dozen days. Were KGB spies involved in the mysterious tragedies?
When Pope Paul VI died, John Paul I succeeded him. However, the pontificate of the first Holy Father with a double name lasted only 33 days. During his short period in office, the Bishop of Rome met with Metropolitan Nikodim of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Their conversation together was the first meeting in over 500 years between the highest-ranking member of the Catholic Church and such an important figure of the Orthodox Church. The Eastern visitor, however, unexpectedly fainted, and moments later died in the Holy Father’s arms. The tragedy of 49-year-old Nicodemus gave rise to conspiracy theories.
Suspicion was deepened by the mysterious death of John Paul I just three weeks later. What was going on behind the scenes? Are third parties responsible for the death of the spiritual? In the case of Nicodemus, it may have been a conflict with KGB spies.
The death of Metropolitan Nikodim at the Vatican – what happened at the meeting with John Paul I?
When Pope Paul VI died on 6 August 1978, the Catholic Church faced the election of a new supreme leader. After a two-day conclave, the cardinals ruled that Albino Luciani would be the new bishop , taking the name of John Paul I.
Nikodim (Rotov), Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod, was at the Vatican during these events. He made the decision to visit despite the clear opposition of doctors.
What was the reason for the delegation to the Vatican? The desire to observe the proceedings of the conclave and the desire to give a personal greeting to the new Holy Father. On 5 September 1978, a solemn meeting took place. Nicodemus and John Paul I had a one-to-one conversation, after which the Pope went to see the rest of the delegation still.
It was then that the Soviet visitor unexpectedly fainted and slumped in Luciani’s arms. The latter shared absolution of sins with him, and moments later a doctor arrived on the scene. However, the Metropolitan could not be saved.
The events caused a shock in the Vatican. A decidedly different mood prevailed in the secular USSR, where, a day later, a TV daily gave only a brief mention of the clergyman’s death.
The mysterious event of, after all, young Nikodim (Rotov) gave rise to conspiracy theories. Even more questions were raised by another sudden death, this time of Pope John Paul I, which took place just three weeks later. Both cases seemed equally suspicious.
Metropolitan Nikodim – shocking conspiracy theories
Why has the death of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) raised questions? Indeed, the clergyman from the Soviet Union was not one of the oldest – after all, he was barely 49 years old. However, he had already suffered a number of less serious heart attacks, which were indicative of his health problems.
The version about another, this time tragic heart attack, therefore seemed to ‘have arms and legs’.
If one took into account Nikodim’s past, his openness to the West and his problematic actions for the Soviets, the case was no longer so obvious. Doubts were also deepened by the mysterious death of John Paul I. Were these two sudden events connected?
When we consider the conspiracy theories that turned out to be true, those concerning Nicodemus could certainly count among them. In many of them, the motive is KGB agents. Soviet spies may have murdered a metropolitan whose persona was very inconvenient for the Kremlin.
With what did Nikodim draw the ire of the Soviets upon himself?
At first, this version may seem crazy. With what could the clergyman alienate the Soviet Union? An analysis of Nikodim’s (Rotov’s) past shows that the Soviets had grounds to consider him an enemy.
The metropolitan came from a rural family, his father was an intimate communist. For this reason, religion, which was treated as a taboo subject in the USSR and other Eastern Bloc countries, was not discussed at home. As a teenager, however, Nikodim became enthralled by a visit to an Orthodox church and entrusted his life to his faith.
In 1960, he was ordained Bishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov, which marked the beginning of his groundbreaking work. As Moscow’s envoy, he conducted secret negotiations with the plenipotentiaries of Pope John XXIII on the Roman Catholic Church’s refraining from condemning communism.
Metropolitan Nikodim focused on international activities and sought to stop the persecution of the faithful in the USSR. He often left the country and was fascinated by the history of Christianity.
In 1971, he was typecast as the head of the Russian Orthodox Church after the late Alexy I. However, another clergyman was chosen, allegedly as a result of pressure from the KGB. Another Metropolitan Yuvenalius (Pojarkov) later recalled that the Soviets did not want a young, energetic Nikodim to head the institution. The union was then led by an ageing Leonid Brezhnev.
Moreover, a 1973 Soviet report by the Office of Religious Affairs, which divided the Orthodox Church episcopate into clergy who were safe, loyal to a certain extent and at the same time trying to strengthen the Church and circumventing the authorities’ anti-church orders, assigned Nikodim to the second category.
He was regarded as a faith-spreading fanatic, diverting the attention of young people from social issues to Christ. Nicodim also pushed for the establishment of new institutions, explained to the faithful how they could apply for the opening of temples, and provided financial support to students of theological schools. This of course involved incurring debt.
Agent ADAMANT – KGB spy in the ranks of the church
Shocking, then, in view of the above facts, is the information contained in the famous Mitrokhin Archive. They indicate that Metropolitan Nikodim was a KGB agent with the pseudonym ‘ADAMANT’.
During foreign trips, he denied the persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union. He also prevented Western institutions from issuing opinions condemning the actions of the Communists. In addition, he believed that joint action by Marxists and Christians could bring great benefits for the good of the USSR.
Nikodim’s demands were at odds with his fervent faith, which aroused the suspicion of many foreign clerics.
Did Nikodim die at the hands of KGB agents?
Conspiracy theories about the 49-year-old’s sudden death were immediately linked to KGB spies. It was assumed that he may have been poisoned just before the meeting, when he mistakenly drank a drink of poison intended for the Pope. However, this version was quickly dismissed as witnesses agreed that no one had drunk anything at the time.
Another theory was that the clergyman could have been killed by cyanide in a cured tooth. The conversation between Nicodemus and Pope John Paul I was allegedly overheard by KGB agents. The windows of the library where the meeting took place faced the Soviet embassy.
When the spies heard that the discussion was proceeding unfavourably, they directed a laser activating poison towards the windows. Although this theory sounds improbable, its authenticity is seriously considered by Father Tadeusz Kaluzhny in his book ‘The Secret of Nikodim’.
A version in which the metropolitan was poisoned during treatment in Czechoslovakia prior to his death has also been considered. This was to be confirmed by the clergyman’s ill health, which the treatment did more harm than good.
Others, on the other hand, pointed to Nikodim’s faked death. His fascination with the Catholic Church and growing tensions in the USSR may have tempted him to flee, change his identity and take up a position in the Vatican. After all, it was not without reason that many foreign and Soviet clerics considered him a crypto-Catholic.
Secrets of the Vatican – the official version of events
What officially happened on 5 September 1978 at the Vatican? The official version speaks of a massive heart attack that led to the death of the metropolitan. Despite his relatively young age, Nicodim had complained about his health. He was regularly treated in sanatoriums abroad and had undergone several minor heart attacks in the past.
Perhaps it was the stress of the highly anticipated meeting, as well as mounting tensions with the government, that led to the death of the 49-year-old clergyman?
Vatican secrets: The death of Metropolitan Nikodim – FAQ
Are you interested in the mysterious death of Metropolitan Nicodim and conspiracy theories? Find out the answers to the most frequently asked questions on this topic!
Who was Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov)?
Nikodim (Rotov) was the Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod of the Russian Orthodox Church. He was famous for his passion for the Christian faith and was also a KGB agent. He died unexpectedly in 1978 during a meeting with Pope John Paul I.
What happened to Metropolitan Nikodim?
Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) died suddenly during a meeting with Pope John Paul I at the Vatican. The official cause of death was a massive heart attack. However, there were conspiracy theories that pointed to the cleric being poisoned by the KGB or his death being faked.
What happened to John Paul I?
Pope John Paul I died suddenly after only 33 days of his pontificate. The cause was a heart attack. However, the sudden death raised many suspicions. Conspiracy theories claimed that the Holy Father had exposed himself to the mafia and to some clerics, so that he was poisoned.
Who is at the head of the Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church?
The Orthodox Church does not have a single head like the Catholic Church. The institution in each country has its most important representative, who acts as a metropolitan or patriarch.