Pope Peter II's Apostolic Journey to Attica

[The Young Pope]

Kingdom of Attica: The first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD.

"Families...are the clue, no I mean ehm...ah, glue of society; their welfare cannot be taken forever, oops...granted, there we go...but must be promoted and protected by every appropriate means...Racial and ethnic hatred, intractable conflicts and violence, contempt for human dignity and for fundamental human rights, and the growing divide between rich and poor...there we go I think I finally got this now." Pope Peter II a.k.a 'The Young Pope' was practising onboard the Papal plane one of his speeches he was supposed to deliver during his visit to Attica, one of the most important trips during his so far 5-year pontificate, due to a number of reasons including the complex and dynamic geo-politics and history involved between the Ecclesiastical State, Attica being the oldest Christian realm and a constitutent kingdom of its master, Empire of Tamora which mainly adhered to bizarre and ancient philosophical principles collectively known as Manism, as well as appropriately hosting the World Meeting of Families there.

Although he wouldn't spend more than 2 days in the Kingdom, the event itself would have already started almost 1 week ago attracting numerous pilgrims and faithful, not only contributing to the spiritual atmosphere but also filling up the well-needed cofferts considering this old Christian realm was obviously wealthier prior to the Tamoran invasion in 1958 which forcefully annexed the once proud Attica and one could say an everlasting nightmare would begin, to an extent at least. One shouldn't mistaken the Pope's intentions and agenda, as much as he found the WMF and his duties important and sacred, this turn of events acted as an valid excuse too in order to showcase his presence there which inspired Catholics all over Mundus. Besides eagerly waiting to meet the Queen, the local clergy and the faithful...he also promised to pay a visit to the Tamoran Emperor before returning back home to the ES, to safely assure the little autonomy Attica still had left, discuss the issues regarding the appointment of Bishops with or without the Emperor's consent amongst other matters.

"This is it I suppose..." Peter muttered by himself as he looked out through the window to see the hosting country below. According to the schedule of the first day, the Papal delegation would first receive a warm welcome by the Royal Attican Court under the supreme leadership of HRM the Queen as they would proceed onwards to the Palace for an private audience, before carrying out the pontifcal duties to the faithful. The Pontiff prayed for guidance and advice from the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin and the Patron Saints of Attica, as well as the continued protection that the kingdom has experienced from all harm and evil. The plane would make a smooth touchdown as it taxied its way to the greeting party and an entire army of cameras beyond the fences. Making the sign of the Cross, the Young Pope went down the red carpet and thus officially began his apostolic visit to Attica. Whatever would happen right after were up to the Divinity to decide, hopefully for the better...

[Markus]

Attica did not join Tamora voluntarily. After the brief war in 1958 the kingdom was annexed and its institutions severely changed to mirror those of Tamora. Atticans saw how their parliament was disestablished and how most of their laws were annulled. The Tamoran authorities also proceed to give away much of the state's assets to loyal corporate nobles from the other parts of the Empire. The Tamoran authorities were frank and open about what they were doing: they were rewarding decades,  in some cases centuries, of loyal service of those families by giving them conquered assets for free. Furthermore, Attica was also forced to immediately adopt the massive tariffs Tamora had on foreign goods and services. Almost overnight Attica’s economy was pulled out of the international Mundus economy and integrated in Tamora’s. Gone were the days were Atticans could easily buy any foreign goods they wanted. With tariffs going as high as 200%, foreign goods become very expensive overnight. This wasn’t meant as a some sort of punishment for Atticans, after all all Tamorans had to pay the same tariffs, but as a means for Tamora to be relatively self reliant and create a powerful group of people (the business owners) that was largely dependent on the Tamoran government. Without the tariffs, most Tamoran business with go bankrupt because they couldn’t compete and since in Tamora bankruptcy meant enslavement, business owners would do just about anything to avoid bankrupcy.

Once part of the Empire, Atticans had to get used to an entire series of peculiar customs and rules including the most notorious of Tamoran practices: slavery. It was hard for Atticans to grasp how a nation could still practice slavery on such a large scale in the XXth century but Tamora did, and slavery had widespread support. But the culture shock didn’t stop there. During the ten years of martial law which saw the Attica’s institutions disestablished or severely limited there were decisions that Atticans had a hard time grasping. The Tamorans who had no qualms about enslaving people and giving Attica’s state assets to loyal and well placed Tamorans, wanted to give most of the schools, universities, clinics and hospitals that belonged to the Attican state to the local Catholic Church.For non Tamorans that made no sense but for Tamorans who see education, healthcare and welfare as being a matter handled by religious organisations it was natural. For various reasons, the local Catholic Church often hesitated when was asked to take over the said institutions. And while they took ownership of most schools and universities, about half of the former state hospitals and clinics were given to the Manist Temple Associations because they were no takers. This reluctance of the Catholic Church further engrained the perception many Manist had that the Catholicism was not a “real religion” and was instead focused more on ritual and talk. Another aspect that Atticans found peculiar about Tamorans was their constant public display of religion. Whether is was public prayers, religious symbols, clothing ( ex hijab) or just preaching in the streets, religion was everywhere. Manists considered it natural and found the more reserved forms of worship as dubious or even fake.

After sixty years of living in that environment, Catholic Atticans had changed adopting some of customs and attitudes of the rest of Tamora: they displayed their religion more often in public ( making the sign of the cross when walking by a church, women covering their hair inside the church etc), Catholicism became a larger part of their identity and the Church had began to play a much larger role in the life of many Catholics as the schools, universities and (to a lesser extent) hospitals were all owned and operated by the Catholic Church. Following Manist influence, the Catholic church even bought a franchise in soccer and owned the Attica Crusaders team. When the Queen of Attica banned abortion it wasn’t just a way a gesture meant to please the Pope but it was also the result of the new Catholic generation talking over in Attica: much more conservative and for whom the concept of secularism become an abstract concept since for Tamorans the idea was alien.

However, even after the sixty years the battle for power in Attica wasn’t over. Both monarchs of Attica that reigned after the annexation were executed for treason (of which covert opposition or sabotage of slavery played a major role) and the new Queen was young, inexperienced and many believed the Emperor had agreed to name her a monarch only because he expected her failure will provide the perfect reason to get rid of the catholic monarchy altogether and install a Manist one as they had done in Vojvodina. Furthermore, the  demographic “war” didn’t go well for the Catholics in Attica: between emigration, lower birth rate, conversion to Manism and internal migration, Catholics were now just 50% of the population of Attica. They were much more conservative and observant but they were losing ground fast.
It is in this environment that Pope Peter II had arrived in Attica so it was no surprise that the press of the kingdom talked non stop of the visit as the local Catholic Church made all the preparations for the Summit and the visit.

At the airport, all the press of the federated kingdom and many from the rest of the Empire were there to transmit live the moment the Pontiff get out of the plane.
Queen Arpine Saroyan, along with leading Catholic Church bishops were present to welcome the Supreme Pontiff. In the welcoming delegation there was also an Orthodox Bishop. Orthodox Christians were a small minority in Attica but important for their constant support of the Catholic community and the Queen. So she hoped the Pope wouldn't mind the bishop’s presence here.

As the Pope set foot on the Tamoran pavement, the Queen bowed and greeted Pope Peter II :
”Holy Father, in the name of people of Attica I welcome you to the kingdom. We are humbled by the fact you have decided to come.”

After the formalities were over and the hosts along with the Pope got in the cars, the convoy proceeded towards the Royal Palace as planned.
Millions of Atticans took to the streets to see the Papal convoy make its way to the Royal palace. Though the worldwide Catholic Church had never abandoned them, Catholic Atticans saw the Pope’s visit as sign that they haven’t been forgotten and that change was about to happen. What change exactly were they expecting to happen wasn't very clear.

Spoiler:  Atticans greet the Pope • show

Many Atticans wanted to see the Pope since it was a once in a lifetime opportunity




Many chose to show reverence by kneeling




And of course religious symbols abounded.

As the convoy reached its destination, the Queen invited the Pope to the Royal Palace. The building which housed the Attican monarchy for generations wasn’t just a symbol for Atticans but also the place where sixty years before the Helvetic Guards made their last stand. Inside the palace, the Tamoran flag was nowhere to be seen with only the Attican flag being present. On the walls of the hallway they were the portraits of various historical figures that marked Attica’s destiny: from Saint Gregory the Illuminator, to various kings and bishops that attested to the kingdom’s long history and deep Christian roots.

Once the Pope and the Queen reached the meeting room, they both had a chance to have a discreet conversation, away from the eyes of the press or the court.

Spoiler: meeting room • show

In part because of her inexperience when it came to meetings of this magnitude but also because the Queen was a devout Catholic, she was a little awkward not knowing exactly how to get the conversation going and yet not wanting to waste the precious little time the Pope had.
“Holy Father” she said in a very respectful tone that showed just how much consideration she had for the spiritual head of the Catholic Church.”We cannot thank you enough or ever hope to repay you for the great gift you have given us by coming to our small kingdom.”     
 

[The Young Pope]

The Young Pope took a deep breath as he began with the greeting formalities. "Arpine, Arpine, how great it is to finally meet you. Thank you for this great display of welcome and hospitality one could feel already. God Bless You" he began saying with some additional quick chit-chat before proceeding to do the same with the local high-standing clergy delivering kisses on the cheeks, including Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan of the Attican Catholic Church and the equally surprising yet inviting presence of the Orthodox Catholicos Karekin II. "Good to see you here as well Karekin my friend, much appreciated." Peter said embracing each other and attracting significant attention from the media and crowds who cheered even more frantically; it was iimported to display the positive dialogue between the churches and it's good PR after all.

After the kisses and embracing of one another, it was time to head for the first stop which was the Royal Palace of Alaverdi. The car which was to transport His Holiness alongside his hosts was designed in a way to make it visible from the outside so that it would be easier to see the Pontiff waving to the endless crowds of faithful and curious locals and international visitors alike, whilst the Pontifical Helvetic Guards were running alongside the convoy with every stamina they've got. The last time a Pope ever set afoot in Attica was ages ago so one could imagine the combined excitement an hope as to what the Papal visit would bring to this once proud Catholic Kingdom in southern Cotf Aranye. TYP being TYP, he couldn't simply remain in the vehicle waving nonstop and thus saw an opportunity: He managed to spot a family with an infant who happened to be dressed as him, so telling the driver, the guards and his hosts what he was about to do, the convoy stopped as a Guard ran up to them and he was given permission to hold the baby.

With Queen Arpine, he exited the vehicle to approach the family as people started to scream in joy. "OH MY GOD, AAAAAH!!!!" "PAPA PETRUS!" the crowd shouted and clapped their hands, some even shed a few tears, as the Holy Father blessed the baby before giving it a kiss on the forehead, returning the baby to the family and thanking them for the opportunity, shook hands and went inside the vehicle to continue the journey. Peter naturally became emotional and touched by the immense devotion and admiration the crowd displayed as they also knelt before him, carrying all kinds of holy images from the Blessed Virgin holding the infant Son of God to various saints, thanking the Lord for the Papal visit to happen; it was very clear that the Tamoran annexation made the Atticans much more open and brave to display the Catholic faith in public. The Holy Father also stopped one more time to greet a pair of nuns, overjoying them with his greeting and blessings; They'd been waiting for this moment considering this was their ultimate boss paying a visit straight from the Vatican, as they eagerly listened to his advice as to becoming a better Christian and how they could set an example to every other mortal.

The convoy finally reached their destination, however before the Queen could personally escort him to one of the Palace's meeting rooms, they had to as planned pay a visit to a special memorial which became an integral part in modern Attican history, as well as granting the Queen a fierce and loyal privilege that had long gone been absent in the Royal Court.

Pope's Message of the Day:
"We Christians do not have a product to sell, we communicate Life."

Pope Peter II visits 'Lion Memorial' at the Royal Palace

The Lion Monument in Alaverdi at the Royal Palace. The incised Latin may be translated as, "To the loyalty and courage of the Helveticans"

Pope Peter II once again reminded the world that the heroic sacrifice of the 898 Helvetic Guards in 1958 should never be forgotten and always be cherished. He alongside Queen Arpine of Attica and the local high-standing clergy visited the Lion Memorial Complex and held an open-air service at the Royal Palace, at which he gifted Her Majesty with a complement of Helvetic Guards to proudly serve the Attican Royal House once more.

Arriving in Alaverdi International Airport, the Holy Father alongside the Royal Household and clergy were transported directly to the Royal Palace where the initial talks between Pope Peter II and Queen Arpine Sorayan were held, prior to that though they accompanied the Press to the Lion Memorial. With their heads bowed, the Pope and the Queen laid a wreath at the memorial as they stood in silent prayer in front of an engraved stone carving of a dying Lion, made by the local artist Barkev Ghukasian in 1971, commemorating the 1958 Tamoran annexation of Attica, in which almost 900 Helvetic Guards sacrificed their lives in order to protect the Attican Royal Family, their last stand was directly beside in the Palace and the surrounding areas.

“May God protect the memory of the Helvetic Guards and what they represent. Memory should never be watered-down or forgotten. Memory is the source of peace and the future.” the Pontiff said as part of his speech, pointing out that it has nothing to do with painting a black color on the current Tamoran Empire, adding that reconciliation between the Empire's kingdoms is an important part of an everlasting peace, that even the worst pain "can become a seed of peace for the future." Alongside the gathered attendees was the surviving family of MP Johann Moltke, the last Helvetic Guard to serve for the Attican Royal House in 1958 and one of the two to survive the onslaught. Moltke later became a war hero and a Member of Parliament, serving his constitutency for almost 3 decades before passing away a week ago due to brai cancer a few days shy of his 82nd birthday.

Portrait of Johann Moltke (1936-2018), War Hero and Member of Parliament, the last Helvetic Guard from the Attican Regiment in 1958

His Attican wife and recently widow, Adrine Moltke, also dedicated her speech to her late husband as she held his portrait, saying that "Every tenth anniversary we used to come here and commemorate his Helvetic colleagues, many of them were in their twenties and still dreaming a future of prosperous careers and gorgeous Attican women as their dedicated wives and mothers to children who were never borne in this world, as they sacrificed their lives in the name of our Lord and Saviour, to protect and safeguard the most noble of all noble Catholic families the world has ever witnessed, never relenting in faith and reason. My husband Johann never managed to embark on the 60th anniversary trip with the family this time..." she said shedding a tear before continuing. "But I'm sure he's up there at the right of our Lord looking down upon us all, urging everyone of us as always to care, cherish and love for each other until the ends of times."

It was at this moment that a large group of colourfully cladded Helvetic Guards carrying their signature Halberdiers entered the scene, kneeling in front of Queen Arpine and proclaiming their loyalty to the Attican Royal Family, the Church and God as Pope Peter II blessed them and conscecrated the authority to do so, encouraing onlookers to clap and cheer for a tradition that had been for 6 decades not present any longer, although from the looks of it due to the Holy Father's reforms, many things are about to change.

Despite the overwhelmingly positive ceremony and words exchanged, there were a few disagreements and anger from anonymous individuals who're reported to be devout conservative Manists, calling the statements “greatly unfortunate” which Tamora does not “take seriously.” “The goal is to squeeze into Tamora in the corner,”  accusing Peter II of siding with leftist-liberal values. Such statement is “completely political” and dominated by the “mentality of the Crusades,” they said, adding that the  statements were not “valid” as they lack objectivity of the events and that the pontiff’s interpretations of 1958 are “incompatible” with “facts” that “everyone knows, we all know, the whole world knows, Atticans know that the whole world knows.”
"Likewise Arpine, thank you for receving my presence and accepting the re-introduction of the Helvetic Guard, I'm sure they will come of great use in the future." the Pope began as she showed him where to sit in the magnificent room filled with portraits on the walls of past rulers of Attica and their family members. "I can assure you that we have all the time in the world hehe, so tell me my dear...How's Attica faring these days, how are you holding up as the first Queen of Attica?" he asked, showing an obvious concern for the young and inexperienced monarch knowing fully that the rest of her family were executed two years prior on fishy grounds, which caused great upproar in the Catholic World, especially in the Ecclesiastical State as Peter could remember, no doubt it was part of the Emperor's scheme to impose the sick and twisted Manist vaues on Attica, the last bastion of reason and sanity existed in the forsaken Empire.

Pius XII may have failed to prevent the annexation in 1958, himself failed to prevent the unjust executions of her family but surely as the heavens would allow it, he wouldn't see her head being placed on a spike on his watch and would do anything to prevent it. Naturally the talks with the Queen would be about the declining number of Catholics and Armenians (due to conversion and emigration) which could lead the Emperor to change the ruling dynasty with one of a different religion and ethnicity, the religious unrest talking place in Attica, the brain drain, preserving the rights of women while simultaneously appeasing the hardliners in Tamora and securing the future of her dynasty...and also, a Plan B in case something went wrong which could endanger her life, the Helvetic Guards playing a crucial role.

As he asked those questions, he took a sheet of paper and wrote Is this room bugged/filled with recording devices? It was paramount to know, not that he didn't trust the Queen but more about whether the Emperor liked to put extra sneaky ears on his vasall monarchs as part of his schemes.

[Markus]

Queen Arpine looked at the sheet of paper the Pope wrote and smiled:

"We can talk freely here. The Attican intelligence service makes sure of that. It doesn't have nowhere near the manpower or resources to compete with the Imperial one but it does the a good job of keeping Attica's key institutions safe and secure."

"Allow me to thank you for the Helvetic Guards, not only is it a noble tradition that I am pleased to see it restarted but also a gesture that moved me deeply. "

"Before answering your question, I need to ask you something first since it's been driving me mad and I have few people to talk to about this. For some time now I have began to suspect that someone, I do not know if it's an individual or group, has been helping me in Tamora. At first I didn't pay too much attention but there were certain actions of mine that were controversial in Attica but they were given a more neutral tone in Imperial circles. Then I have seen critics of mine from the capital toning down after one day as if they had forgotten their vitriol from the day before. As more and more signs started to appear I tried to ask around discreetly in church and my noble's circle to see if they know anything. Now I obviously couldn't ask them directly but still got no indication they had any idea what I was talking about. "

"What made me more certain this isn't just my imagination is the local Manist protests that started when they heard you'll be coming to Attica. I know the local Manist associations, they were aiming to create a scene with the hope to cancel your coming here. They were prepared, they had the money available to pay for the damages and get their people out. I thought that by detaining some of them they would back down since they tend to do that when met with  a heavy hand but it didn't happen. They anticipated my move and turned it around so to appear they have been victims of abuse, the situation was fast becoming bad. It might not seem much to you but the Emperor intervening and taking a stand against his religious organization is not something he does often if ever. "

"And then, the following Sunday I have found a note my prayer book telling me to ban abortion. Now It's true that could have come from the Catholic circles since we are truly blessed to have a powerful Pro Life movement here but that never happened before and it's too much of a coincidence. After I passed the decree banning abortion a lot of the Manist resistance here quickly died down and thus your coming here was met with no resistance or protest whatsoever. "

"So I guess I have to ask you Holy Father, is it your intelligence services doing that? Because it's certainly not  somebody from Attica. So it's either you, someone else or I'm losing my mind."

[The Young Pope]

The Pope had to think things through slowly as to what it could have meant; after all considering the Pontiff was in most cases a symbolic head of state with limited reserve powers, he didn't have a clue whether it was his own country's intelligence agency who were behind these charades, though it wouldn't have been a surprise at all if it were true considering the Central Intelligence Agency are known to operate independently and discreetly as long as it would benefit the Ecclesiastical State and her allies. Peter held her hands as the reply finally came: "Arpine...I think it's God who's answering your prayers for guidance and aid in these troublesome times, as a way to reward faithfulness and piety, fulfilling the merciful work the Lord wants us to do in His Name. Please never stop praying and being the faithful to the True Church, in time the rewards will be greater if one continues on this righteous path" he simply answered while waiting for a reply to the first question.

[Markus]

The Queen seemed relieved by the words of the Pope:

"You're right, Holy Father. In my quest for answers i forgot the obvious. It must be God who's helping me.   "

"Regarding Attica, it's faring well, all things considering. It's a long, quiet war of attrition, each passing year Attica loses more of its former self and is integrated more and more in Tamora. The generation that was alive during the time Attica was independent is now very old. The new generations, that I am part of,  only know of an independent Attica from the history books, movies and the stories of their parents or grandparents. Tamora is not what we would call an open country, it has few if any foreign influence so Atticans increasingly appear and even start to believe that they are the odd ones for not "embracing" Tamoran "customs" like slavery and the rule of men over women. Even what Attican means has changed a lot. It used to be simple: it meant speaking Armenian and practicing the Catholic faith of our ancestors (Armenian rite). Now we are half of the population of Attica and soon to be a minority in our own country. There are many here that don't speak Armenian let alone practice our faith. "

"Seeing all that some chose to leave and have taken a voluntary exile by going to the Ecclesiastical State as I'm sure you might know, others more weak in faith have abandoned it and switched to Manism, other left for the Imperial Enclave because it's magnet for attracting skilled people from all over Tamora. If all that wasn't enough, we were hit with sanctions because we are Tamorans. You perhaps heard of Karapetyan family and their enslavement? They were good Catholics, did not get involve in slavery in any way, yet they were victims of the sanctions. So naturally, the voices of the Imams of Manist Temples who preach that the whole world is against us and we must stay united if we are to survive begins to ring true to many even in our churches. What's the point in trying to fight the Tamorans customs and practices when everyone punishes you as if you were already practicing them? What's the point in creating dissention in Tamora when the outside world is against all of us ?"

"But not all is bleak. While we are losing ground in the demographics war, we are more active. People now practice the faith. It's no longer an accessory but a way of life. Our churches are full, we have more than enough priests, the March for Life reaches new records of participants every year. The church is active and alive in Attica. If perhaps there's one positive thing we learned from Tamorans and especially the Manists is to value religion and to "live it" as they say. Which means to have it influence your everyday life and your decisions."

The Queen stopped, she would have more to say but she wanted to give the Pope the chance to reply.   

[The Young Pope]

The Pope was relieved a bit upon hearing the current situation of the Attican Catholics who, despite their dwindling numbers for a number of reasons, were quite the dedicated and faithful believers of the Catholic Church now more than ever before. However there was another pressuring issue that had to be solved sooner than later as Attica's survival and future depended on it. "I'm blessed to hear about the successes of our fellow Catholic brothers and sisters of Christ despite the enduring hardships everyone has to go through, but just like the saints we dearly pray for, they received eternal life and salvation by our merciful Lord and Saviour. I'm sure we could discuss more with my Government whether there's something we could do to solve the demographics issue without angering the Imperial Wasps' nest; I'm thus willing to offer an annul $2 billion USD to the local Catholic Church.

Though there's something else I'd wish to bring up and you may not like the idea at all first, but sadly sometimes we gotta do the tasks we least like in order to prevail: Marriage..."Peter paused for a small moment as he liquified his throat with delicious Attican tea, which was among the most popular imported teas in the Ecclesiastical State, not surprisingly.

"In most normal cases, marriage is a covenant by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring, and which has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptised and ths involves true love between a man and woman. Sadly my dear, this Emperor of yours wouldn't mind chopping off your head once you've reached the stage of being barren and thus unable to produce potential offspring. You could of course try to adopt but we both know it wouldn't get accepted at all with this lack of royal blood yadda yadda...So, I may suggest a suitable husband and king-consort who happens to be a Quintelian Prince, Carlos. Young and handsome fellow with a great reputation in bed...I'd say he's one of the best candidates out there; we of course have his father King Lapu though it would complicate the transnational politics..."

Peter paused for a moment, fully knowing that he might've sounded like a total goofey but was interested to hear what the Queen had to say and whether she had her own ideas...

[Markus]

"You are truly generous , Holy Father. But I can't help but think that perhaps that money could be better spent helping Catholics from poor countries in much greater need. We here in Attica are far from rich but we help and support our church. I mean this as no disrespect, I just want to make sure that you have considered all the needs of our follow Catholics across Mundus."

The Queen clenched her teeth with her smile stopping for a second at the remark about Carlos having a reputation of being "great in bed". Referring to the marriage issue:

"That is one aspect that is of worry for me. You are very gracious to have given thought about it with so many issues and troubles you must have. I have met King Lapu but never had the pleasure of meeting his son, Carlos. Is he a good Catholic?" the Queen was worried a bit, if the man had such a reputation then it meant Catholic morality about relationships wasn't his prime focus.
"Me and the people of Attica care deeply about the faith, we want to be sure he is up to the task."

"Since you brought this up, Holy Father I have to tell that there are some problems that I have yet to mention. You see, my relation with the Emperor remains a complicated one, it is unlikely that he would approve this marriage or any for that matter.  We don't see eye to eye on many things. It is one of the reasons that I haven't given much thought on the issue of marriage. "

"Which brings me to the second problem,  as you probably know the Emperor has not allowed me recognize any of the Catholic bishops because they are named by Celestis, that remains a problem because without them being recognized there are a whole range of administrative issues that are greatly hindered by his lack of recognition.  They do of course serve as de facto bishops but they not being de jure bishops makes it hard even to open a new Catholic school etc. So if you can do something about that it would greatly help our community. I have tried but he sees bishops named by Celestis as foreign influence and that is something shunned in Tamora." 

[The Young Pope]

"I was just messing with you Arpine, frankly got no clue whether he's a good shagger or not, the only viable info that I received is that he was thrown into a psychiatric hospital for committing 15 counts of frustrated homicide and 14 counts of attempted homicide resulting to injury." the Pope then paused knowing that sentence would've shocked anyone including a Queen considering to marry such a character.

"From a reasonable standpoint, it might seem insane and out of control to finalize a marriage with Carlos, however like what our Lord Jesus Christ once said and is still relevant in today's world: 'Let him who is without sin cast the first stone'. Imagine for a moment the good PR that could come out of it if you successfully 'tamed' him into the Light from Darkness...also I've heard that he's quite a good actor and who knows, he could become a patron of the arts, the Theatre specifically in Attica...All that I'm saying is that consider giving him a chance and who knows, it wouldn't be an impossibility for love to grow between the two of you, it has happened before in the past and shall most likely happen again, this time under my watch hehe. Considering he's labeled as insane, I'm willing to personally take him to a prayer group called Knights of the Holy Cross and see whether his problems are of physical or spiritual nature; If it's physical then a normal psychiatrist might do, if it's however of spiritual causes then an 'exorcism' or simply a praying session will be put to use. These knights may be laymen but they're capable of contacting the spiritual world as at least one member per group has the 'gift'."

"As for that so-called 'Emperor' of yours, don't worry as I'm planning to sit down and have a direct communication with him, hopefully he'll see to reason and logic once I voice the relevant concerns that have been fluctuating for the past time, to settle these disputes once and for all...I insist that you accept this money, the Catholic Church has more than enough funds to sustain itself in all parts of the world where the True Fath has successfully implemented itself, ignoring Attica wouldn't do anyone good, this is the least I could do to help aside from praying naturally."

[Markus]

It was a lot to take in regarding Carlos and had it been anyone but the Pope saying it she would have stopped considering Carlos right then.

"It is a leap of faith even considering it, Holy Father" she said contemplating. "But I will consider him, please do have the Knights of the Holy Cross help him. I for my part will pray for him but also for guidance so I know what to decide on the matter. I believe you understand that something like this requires time to contemplate and adjust to."

"Very well, Holy Father! I am sure the local Catholic Church will put the money to good use, I work closely with them on a number of projects and such a large amount of money greatly changes things not just for the church but for the whole kingdom. It is a truly generous gift for which I am extremely grateful."

[The Young Pope]

"Wonderful, I thank you for accepting the Money our Lord has generously given back to us in plentitude, to be able to put it to good use always warms my heart...Is there anything else you had in mind to discuss about, my Child? I'm all ears for anything concerning. Also it's great to see that you truly understand what I'm getting at in terms of this marriage; the issue is that most Christian male monarchs are already married and/or are sovereign rulers of their own territories, making it extremely risky and tricky with Tamoran geopolitics if you were to marry those types of rulers, Carlos on the other hand has at least the advantage of not controlling his own territory already and is free to settle down in any Royal Court."

[Markus]

"There is still something on my mind has been for a while now. It is the fate of the Christians locked in the prisons of Nya Aland for following our Lord.  I know the Church has not forgotten them and keeps them in its prayers but maybe there is something more we could do for them? I have tried to make their plight public by giving them refugee status in our kingdom but I am reluctant to engage in criticism and pressure as that will only be seen as Tamoran "slavers" criticizing a democratic country. Foreigners tend to make little distinction between Tamorans. So Holy Father, if there's anything I can do to help you to help them please tell me. "

"There isn't much else I would like to discuss but ask you what can I and Attica do to help the Church and its needs, Holy Father? You need only say and we would gladly help."

"Also, the local Catholic bishops insisted I present you this gift though in all honesty it is theirs and I am just the messenger." The Queen makes the sign of the cross as the turns toward her cabinet and takes out a gold plated reliquary in the form of the cross. She then proceeds to hand it the Pope:" It is a relic of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, our patron saint, here in Attica. It is hard to find a fitting gift for the Holy Father, especially when one considers the immense generosity you have shown us today but I hope that it will at least please you."   

[The Young Pope]

The Pope received the gift from Attica and carefully took a closer look at it. "Simply magnificent piece of divine art, please on behalf of my authority, do thank them for all the good years of service they've dedicated themselves to the Church and God, their faith is truly inspiring and the examples they set forth as exemplary Christians can't simply be uttered in Words." Peter said, thinking that the relic would surely be kept safely in the Vatican in case something bad were to happen which would see its eventual destruction, preserving it to the new descendants of faithful was fully prioritized.

The Pontiff turned his attention to the raised concern the Queen made regarding the opressed Christians in Nya Åland, knowing that they didn't exactly have it easy there compared to other 'pagan' countries, the fact that it happend on the doorsteps of the Ecclesiastical State saddened the Holy Father although one had to think pragmatically speaking and understand from the other side's perspective.

"Your concerns aren't of invalidity, I truly understand and respect the solidarity shown towards our Christian brothers and sisters in NÅ considering they can't profess their faith in public. However one needs to also obey the laws of said nation considering the Nords are trying their best to preserve their culture and thus their fears aren't dumbfounded; the Christians who got caught committing 'illegal' acts received their due punishment. The Nords are also situated closely to the Ecclesiastical State, our relations aren't exactly top-notch which is why the Federal Council has recently begun to turn that around. The very best we could do is to continue our prayers and hope that in the future the hearts of the Nords will turn into the better, as well as signalling both Attica and ES as states totally open for any Christian refugee seeking a better life from nations such as Nya Åland. I hope this answers your concerns my dear; please do speak up if you're of the other opinion."

[Markus]

The Queen remained silent at the Pope's answers about the Christians of NA. After a couple of moments she resumed: " I will continue to pray and think of a solution, there must be something more we can do for them."

The Queen was visibly delighted that the Pope seemed to have enjoyed the gift.

"Thank you so much for the honor of meeting you in person, Holy Father!" she said, politely signaling that she had little else to say but was willing to wait if the Pope had more matters to discuss.

[The Young Pope]

"I'm sure the solution to this problem will pop up right in front of us sooner or later, as long as we put our faith to the Divinity, I'm sure of it. I would also like to thank you in return for taking the time guiding me around in Attica; it's an underestimated country full of a lot of potential which is unfortunately hindered by the ancient structures which is prevalent throughout the Empire. Yet I'm Always amazed by the amount of hope and happiness that is constantly being emitted by the Atticans which never seems to get extinguished." the Pope said, still thinking things through if there were more topics to discuss about, letting the Queen take the opportunity of ending the discussions if applicable.


"Well actually there's one more thing I'd like to ask, from a servant of God to Another..."How would you advise me to improve my international reputation? Unfortunately 4 yrs of good deeds apparently don't redeem my 2 greatest diplomatic blunders...mankind at its finest I assume; I'm no perfect man but who is? Even a Pope can be a mortal sinner…"

[Markus]

"Holy Father, it is my humble belief that the only international reputation you need to care about is that among Catholics and Christians as a whole. I believe you have been active in this front providing support, such as the donation you have given to our local Church, or having the Family summit here. It shouldn't bother you that, for example,  Royal Seleucid, who have committed genocide, criticize you. I would take that as a sign that you are doing something right. Personally, I would worry when the Christian countries and communities in general, and the Catholic one in particular begin voicing objections. Continue strengthening the ties with the world wide Christian community, whether it is churches and NGOs or governments. What the others say does not really matter in my opinion, Holy Father. Maybe it is the Tamoran influence in me speaking but I really believe that we should follow our path and our ways without worry of being criticized. Sure, we should listen to what others say in case we might be wrong but we shouldn't go out of our way to please others. Especially when we have done nothing than stay truth to our faith and our principles."       

[The Young Pope]

The Young Pope was actually pleased with virtually Everything the Attican Quee told him, perhaps she was right after all that Peter scolded himself too much; trying to appease the mainstream World wouldn't do him or the Catholic Church any good and instead would have the complete opposite effects which could see the ruin of Everything the Ecclesiastical State achieved for the last Century. Pope Peter II thanked Queen Arpine for her advice and agreed with the viewpoint regarding the Royal Seleucid and the fact that in the end it was the right decision to break ties, no matter how worng it was handled diplomatically spekaing, with a ruthless regime which conducted a policy based on Iwi extermination and experimentation, and the fact that they acted like the bunch of total hypocrites.

"However how I handled Neu Uburzis was completely out of my depth, but fret not I'm planning to meet with Grand Master Erik Schulz as soon as we both got the time to do so, who knows if the Lord be willing great tidings might come out of it. Whether it would go an positive or negative way, at least I could tell my flock and tell God directly that I tried my absolute best and of my entire Power to rectify what mistakes have been done, he shall then reward or punish me at the end of days by his will...In any case this is the reason why I decided to let Cardinal fava, the Federal Councl and the people of the Ecclesiastical State to decide most matters, they have a much better sense of judgement than I do to be honest." he said.