Fate of the Pope/Vatican in a Soviet occupation scenario

[QuoProQuid]

Secessionist Quebec as a gigantic Vatican? A new papal state, de facto if not de jure.

That is going to do wonders for Anti-Catholicism in the United States. Say goodbye to progress there.

 

[Marc Pasquin]

Secessionist Quebec as a gigantic Vatican? A new papal state, de facto if not de jure.

can you say resurgent orangist lodges trying to cross the Portage Bridge on the 12th of july being greeted by the lads from the local zouaves companies ?

 

[The Ubbergeek]

A possible 'reaction' is the rise of an italian style lef/far-left (who was not always actually SEVERELY anti-church though...).

 

[DCC]

The Vatican City is neutral, the Soviets can't do much unless they want to been seen invading a neutral country unprovoked.

Like Poland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and part of Romania?

 

[DCC]

Oh yes, pre-Quiet Revolution, my homeland was a Bible Belt of sort.

Duplessis would GLADLY greet the Pope.

Odd but indeed possible choice, and in the heart of allies too.


Only problem.. the Quiet Revolution was gradual, the seeds there actually earlier some new scholars say, the 50s saw some subtile counterculture and opposition...

But...a much more successful USSR, which has a lot more of Europe under its control, will have all kinds of butterfly effects on world politics. Communists worldwide would be encouraged--but just about any non-Communists worldwide will be more frightened than OTL.

 

[ByzantineCaesar]

I don't know about Franco, but Salazar was a huge ally of the Catholic Church, so it would make more sense for the Pope to move to Fátima than to Madrid, also considering that Portugal is more stable than Spain in 1945.

 

[The Kiat]

Fine, Rio or Madrid it is.
But I'd still like to see the Pope in Havana. Come on, the new Vatican with its tropical beaches and little umbrella drinks.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Fine, Rio or Madrid it is.
But I'd still like to see the Pope in Havana. Come on, the new Vatican with its tropical beaches and little umbrella drinks.

Imagine the reaction of non-rightists if it's in *Batista*s days.
Or if the Pope end up in*Castro*'s hands.

 

[Evan]

Or if the Pope end up in*Castro*'s hands.

Compromise: Vatican at Guantanamo Bay!

(Yes, I know it was an active naval base no one would want to give up...)

 

[Magniac]

Based upon the discussion, it seems the consensus is that the Pope would move to either:

• Madrid, Spain
• Rio De Janiero, Brazil
• Montreal, Canada

Fine, Rio or Madrid it is.

Why the Sam Hill does anyone believe that former-pro-Hitlerite Spain is a contender to get the Pope?

That's the one place that the White House and 10 Downing Street would reach agreement on, because no way does this guy get to bask in the reflected glory of being the Good Samaritan host of His Holiness, not right after the defeat of the Third Reich

Salazar's Portugal and DeVelara's Eire are both much less implausible than Franco's Spain is.

 

[statichaos]

I believe that he stays where he is. There's more to be gained for Stalin by allowing the Pope to remain in Vatican City. Any move against him would lead to major issues in Soviet-occupied territories with large Catholic populations, and would further lead to much more significant pressure from the United States, as well as future problems with Latin America, France, and any other area sympathetic to Rome. The Vatican would likely end up taking a much more neutral line regarding international Soviet influence in the upcoming decades if left alone, and that works to the dictator's favor.