Mystery of the white box: Secrets that reshaped the Vatican
Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, left behind many questions. The white box remains the greatest mystery of Francis's pontificate. The box is filled with documents that Ratzinger took to Castel Gandolfo after his abdication, says Fr. Prof. Andrzej Kobyliński in an interview with an Onet reporter.
What you need to know
- The white box: Following his abdication, Benedict XVI entrusted a mysterious white box full of documents to Francis, which he then took to Castel Gandolfo.
- Contents of the box: The documents relate to Vatican and church scandals, and their content remains unknown.
- The goal of Francis's pontificate: His election as pope aimed to calm the situation in the Church and implement reforms.
One of the most intriguing mysteries is the white box that Benedict XVI gave to Francis.
- He didn't trust the Vatican officials, so he wanted to personally hand it over to his successor - emphasizes Fr. Prof. Andrzej Kobyliński in an interview with Onet.
The secret of the popes. What does the mysterious white box contain?
The presence of the mentioned box is known, but the exact content remains a mystery.
- This white box is the greatest mystery of Francis's pontificate. The box is full of documents that Ratzinger took to Castel Gandolfo after his abdication. Some of these documents were surely shocking. Some of the stories were written about a few years later by Frédéric Martel in the book "Sodoma" - explained the expert.
As he pointed out, among other reasons for the box, Francis - already being pope - went to Castel Gandolfo, where Benedict XVI lived after his abdication.
The container holds thousands of pages of documents about Vatican and church scandals.
- They concern pedophilia, embezzlement of funds, homosexuality, primarily the gay lobby in the Vatican - explains Fr. Kobylinski. These documents were examined by a special commission of cardinals just before Benedict XVI's abdication, which shook the Church.
When asked by the Onet journalist whether Francis was chosen as pope "to clean it up and calm things down," he assessed that "definitely yes."
- It was about calming the troubled church waters. It was about implementing a deep reform of the Vatican power structures to steer the Catholic Church on a straight path - explained Fr. Kobyliński.
What changes did Pope Francis implement?
Francis's pontificate was revolutionary, introducing deep changes in Church doctrine. - The first is the exhortation "The Joy of Love" (Amoris laetitia) from 2016, one of the consequences of which is allowing divorced and remarried individuals to receive Holy Communion - says Fr. Kobyliński.
Another significant change was the "Trusting Supplication" (Fiducia supplicans) declaration from December 2023, which allows for the blessing of same-sex unions in the Catholic Church.
As pope, Francis also changed the structure of the College of Cardinals, appointing supporters of liberal Catholicism.
- He did not seek a balance between conservative and liberal Catholicism. He adopted a straightforward principle of appointing only supporters of liberal Catholicism - summed up Fr. Kobyliński. As he indicated, the new pope will likely continue his policy.
