How did the Catholic church go so wrong?
A little-remembered gathering might have changed everything, a new book argues
The moment when Pope Pius XII’s nose fell off was awkward, both because the pope’s body had been put on public display and because the embalmer was none other than Pius’s own doctor. Many had been suspicious of Pius’s choice of medic: he was, they felt, a quack. Pius ignored them. A pope, after all, is infallible.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Chapter and (re)verse”
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From the February 15th 2025 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
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Meghan Markle’s new Netflix show is out of touch with the times
In it she positions herself as an elite Martha Stewart
This year’s Oscars were notably apolitical
Hollywood has ditched resistance in favour of toeing the line
AI unleashes a weird new genre of political communication
Donald Trump’s Gaza video offers a taste of what is to come
Why are live albums back in fashion?
Hitmakers including Niall Horan, Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran have released them
Caviar is the internet’s favourite indulgence
Russian tsars loved it. Now TikTok does, too
Finding meaning in people’s first words—and their last
Why there is less significance than society would have you believe