Every papal death revives a haunting memory: the secret science of preserving the body, and the grotesque disaster of 1958, when Pope Pius XII’s corpse exploded. This first episode rewinds to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tracing the parallel rise of Eugenio Pacelli — the future Pope Pius XII, the most powerful pope of the modern era — and Dr. Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi, the ambitious outsider who would become his unlikely companion. Along the way, shadowy figures emerge, including Fernando Asuero, the Spanish healer whose bizarre cures drew the Vatican’s and Mussolini’s attention, and rumored experiments involving cocaine and other dangerous remedies. From the turmoil of World War I to the shadows of a changing Europe, the episode uncovers the improbable beginnings of a relationship that would end in betrayal — and a scandal that still haunts the Catholic Church.

Discover more at RiccardoPodcast.com — where, starting September 17, 2025, you’ll find documents, research, and exclusive insights expanding on the story.

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