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Murderous goings-on in a tiny church draw the Vatican into the dark heart of Seville.
Murderous goings-on in a tiny church draw the Vatican into the dark heart of Seville.
A hacker breaks into the Vatican’s computer to leave a message for the Pope that says that there is a church in Seville that “kills to defend itself.” It turns out that there is a church that some want to tear down and to be replaced with a more profitable adventure. And two people have died accidentally.
Seville is a very enchanting, old and gothic which Pérez-Reverte describes in a style that engaged each one of the senses – smell, taste and sight.
Church politics and church intrigue are at the holy heart of this novel. There is an interesting cast of characters in the Vatican chapters of the book. Cardinal Iwaszkiewicz for example is a shadowy man who works for the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, formerly called the Office of the Inquisition. He sits and exudes menace. Nothing is straight forward to him and he wants to be in control. Father Lorenzo Quart is chosen for the mission to Spain since he is “as precise and stable as a Swiss Army knife.” There is an atmosphere of a closed and secretive life here, one of celibacy and secrets and the need to protect.
The Santa Cruz church of Seville was originally located at the Plaza de Santa Cruz. It was destroyed by the French in 1811 and therefore moved to the former church of the Clérigos Regulares Menores del Espíritu Santo, where it is located today.
The Seville Communion is a thrilling guide to Seville – journey around the centre, feel the buzz of the barrio Santa Cruz, and be sure to visit the Triana district
Author/Guide: Arturo Pérez- Reverte Destination: Vatican City, Seville
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