From the mysterious vanishing of Emanuela Orlandi in 1983 to the clandestine collection of documents known as the Apostolic Archive, the Vatican's past is shrouded in secrecy. Among the Vatican's alleged enigmas, perhaps none is more peculiar than the tale of the Chronovisor.

The Chronovisor is rumored to be a device capable of allowing users to peer through time. While the existence of the Chronovisor remains unverified, a 2002 book by Vatican priest Father François Brune suggests otherwise.

According to Brune, Father Pellegrino Ernetti, a Benedictine monk, was the mastermind behind the creation of the Chronovisor.

Ernetti purportedly kept the device under wraps until the early 1960s, when he disclosed its existence to Brune. He claimed that a team of 12 scientists, which included renowned physicist Enrico Fermi and former Nazi scientist Wernher von Braun, assisted him in its construction.

Constructed from cathode rays, antennae, and various metals capable of receiving sound and light signals across all wavelengths, the Chronovisor allegedly enabled the scientists to observe historical events, such as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In essence, the machine purportedly provided a means to authenticate the events recounted in the Bible by offering direct observation of the past.

The Chronovisor Was Allegedly Built By A Nobel Prize Winner And A NASA Engineer

Brune's 2002 book, "Le Nouveau Mystère du Vatican," serves as the primary source of information on the Chronovisor. In it, Brune recounts how he first encountered Father Ernetti during a boat ride along Venice's Grand Canal in the early 1960s. Both Brune and Ernetti shared a deep interest in ancient languages, sparking their initial conversation. However, Ernetti soon steered the discussion toward the realm of science.

As Brune delved into various interpretations of the Christian Bible, Ernetti revealed his remarkable claim of possessing access to truth through a device capable of time travel.

According to Ernetti, he collaborated with a group of esteemed scientists in their shared pursuit of uncovering historical truths. Among these scientists were Nobel Prize-winning physicist Fermi and former Nazi scientist von Braun, whose contributions to NASA's space program were pivotal in the moon landing.

Ernetti described the Chronovisor as equipped with several antennae, three of which were crafted from enigmatic metals designed to intercept sound and lightwaves spanning their entire spectra.

A crucial component of the device was its "direction finder," purportedly calibrated to the desired historical era one wished to observe. Once tuned in, a screen would display the chosen period, while a recording apparatus captured the visual data.

Rather than functioning as a conventional time machine, the Chronovisor operated as a window to the past. Ernetti likened its mechanism to that of a television, capturing lingering echoes from bygone days that he claimed had been "drifting" in space. According to him, the observations made through the Chronovisor yielded astonishing revelations.

The Device Supposedly Revealed The Bible's Most Important Moments

Ernetti vividly described his purported observations, including Marcus Tullius Cicero's historic speech to the Roman senate in 63 B.C. He expressed admiration for Cicero's gestures and delivery, emphasizing their profound impact.

Expanding on his claims, Ernetti asserted that he had also witnessed significant biblical events, such as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. From the inception of the Roman Empire to the legendary destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Ernetti alleged that he and his team had glimpsed into pivotal moments in history.

The Italian publication La Domenica del Corriere thrust Ernetti's assertions into the spotlight with a May 2, 1972, article titled "A Machine That Photographs The Past Has Finally Been Invented," exposing his claims to a wide audience.

Accompanying the article was an alleged photograph from the Chronovisor, purportedly depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Additionally, the article suggested that Ernetti had personally witnessed the Last Supper and retained a photograph of the event as a memento.

Ernetti persisted in his assertion until his death in 1994 that the machine had been concealed by the Vatican to prevent its misuse. Intriguingly, in 1988, the Vatican issued a decree stating that "anyone using an instrument of such characteristics would be excommunicated."

Shortly before his passing, Ernetti penned an open letter vehemently reaffirming the reality of the device. He contended that "Pope Pius XII prohibited us from revealing any specifics about this apparatus because it was highly perilous. It could infringe upon human freedom."

The Chronovisor Remains A Vatican Mystery

As intriguing as the Chronovisor may appear, many of Ernetti's assertions regarding it have since been discredited. Critics argue that his alleged photograph of Jesus was simply a low-quality replica of a statue found in an Umbrian church. Another publication suggested that the image was merely a reversed depiction of Jesus from a postcard originating from the Italian town of Collevalenza.

In 1996, Paracelsus magazine offered additional skepticism toward Ernetti's claims. The article questioned why Ernetti had not disclosed detailed blueprints of the device to substantiate his assertions. Moreover, it pointed out striking similarities between the design of the Chronovisor and a device featured in a 1947 science fiction novella.

Despite claims that Father Pellegrino Ernetti admitted to fabricating the entire story before his death on April 8, 1994, this assertion remains highly disputed. With key figures like von Braun, Fermi, Ernetti, and Brune no longer alive, the enigmatic mystery of the Chronovisor persists.

In this regard, the Chronovisor endures as a Vatican enigma, captivating minds for generations to come.