PROOF: Painting of Nude Jesus Caressing Judas Iscariot Hangs on Wall in ‘Pope’ Francis’ Study

A perfect fit for the Vicar of Judas!

PROOF: Painting of Nude Jesus Caressing Judas Iscariot Hangs on Wall in ‘Pope’ Francis’ Study

(click image for larger version)

Three years ago, the Holy Thursday edition of the Vatican’s in-house newspaper Osservatore Romano dedicated much space on its first three pages to Judas Iscariot, the Apostle “who was the traitor” (Lk 6:16).

On the edition’s front page was displayed the picture of a bizarre-looking painting (see below), together with the headline of the editorial, “Judas and the Scandal of Mercy” (Giuda e lo scandalo della misericordia). It was written by Andrea Monda, the paper’s editor:

It was the latest Vatican attempt at trying to garner sympathy for the man whom Jesus Christ called the “Son of Perdition” (Jn 17:12). Our Blessed Lord gave him that name not so much because He knew He would be betrayed by him but because He knew that after this betrayal, Judas, by then apparently possessed by the devil (see Lk 22:3), would hang himself in despair, die in his sins, and thus be lost eternally (see Mt 26:24):

Some are attracted to the priesthood by ambition and love of honours; while there are others who desire to be ordained simply in order that they may abound in riches, as is proved by the fact that unless some wealthy benefice were conferred on them, they would not dream of receiving Holy Orders. It is such as these that our Saviour describes as hirelings, who, in the words of Ezechiel, feed themselves and not the sheep, and whose baseness and dishonesty have not only brought great disgrace on the ecclesiastical state, so much so that hardly anything is now more vile and contemptible in the eyes of the faithful, but also end in this, that they derive no other fruit from their priesthood than was derived by Judas from the Apostleship, which only brought him everlasting destruction.

(Catechism of the Council of Trent, “The Sacraments: Holy Orders”; underlining added.)

Judas, an Apostle of Christ, “one of the twelve,” as the Evangelists sadly observe, was led down to the abyss of iniquity precisely through the spirit of greed for earthly things.

(Pope Pius XI, Encyclical Ad Catholici Sacerdotii, n. 49)

Regarding the strange painting — which appears to show a nude resurrected Christ bending over and holding the dead body of Judas, caressing his face — the Osservatore Romano front-page article explains:

This painting is “the fruit of the meditations” of Pope Francis collected in the 2018 book When You Pray Say Our Father [English title: Our Father: Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer]. In it, the Pontiff talks about Judas and God’s mercy by mentioning the capital [–by this is meant the wider section at the top of a column–] of the [medieval] church of Vézelay, a photo of which he hung behind his desk in his personal study. A faithful Catholic from France, reading these meditations and having been struck since childhood by the same capital depicting Jesus the Good Shepherd carrying on his shoulders the dead Judas as the last lost sheep, decided to paint this picture and give it to the Pope. Since then next to the picture of Vézelay behind the Holy Father’s desk is this painting that is published on the front page today.

(Andrea Monda, “Giuda e lo scandalo della misericordia”, Osservatore Romano, Apr. 1, 2021; translation via DeepL.)

The alleged stone depiction of Judas being carried by the Good Shepherd is actually no such thing (see detailed analysis here), but that is not our concern now.

Rather, we note that the artist admits that the blasphemous painting of a naked Lord Jesus ministering to the dead “Son of Perdition” is the fruit of a meditation on the [rotten] theology of ‘Pope’ Francis — and who could doubt it is?! “By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Mt 7:16).

While for the last three years it was asserted that this painting was on display in Jorge Bergoglio’s personal study, it remained a mere assertion, albeit a credible one, since it had been made by the Vatican’s own newspaper.

Now, however, we are happy to report we finally have actual visible proof.

On Feb. 28, 2024, Francis sent a video message to the Pan-American Committee of Judges for Social Rights and Franciscan Doctrine (COPAJU), straight from his study room. And, lo and behold, what do we see on the wall behind him? The sordid ‘Jesus Caresses the Dead Judas’ painting! See for yourself:

The title image at the top of this post points to the painting in question. A larger version of it can be found here.

So now we need not rely merely on the say-so of an editor in the Vatican, now we have photographic evidence from Francis himself. Yes, the ugly, repulsive painting showing a risen-but-naked Lord Jesus caressing the corpse of Judas — which explicitly intends to communicate a blasphemous ‘hope’ for the traitor’s salvation, contrary to the testimony of Sacred Scripture and Tradition — is indeed on display in ‘Pope’ Bergoglio’s study room!

To anyone who’s been paying attention the last few years, this will come as no surprise.

Since at least 2017, Francis has repeatedly expressed his ‘hope’ for the salvation of Judas Ischariot, in an evident effort to kick-start a process of rehabilitation of the traitor who hanged himself in despair. But why?

Perhaps because a damned Judas stands in the way of the no less blasphemous Bergoglian ‘hope’ of an empty hell. After all, if even the suicided “Son of Perdition” — whom Dante Alighieri famously placed in the mouth of Lucifer at the very center of the ninth circle of hell — was saved and is now in eternal bliss (or on his way there), why should anyone be condemned forever? And indeed, that is what Francis seems to be getting at: “No one can be condemned for ever, because that is not the logic of the Gospel!” (‘Apostolic’ Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, n. 297). The message may be subtle, but if it’s repeated often enough, people will eventually pick up on it.

Here are some other instances of the Vatican, even Francis himself, eliciting compassion/hope for the Iscariot:

• ‘Pope’ Francis and the Blasphemous ‘Hope’ of an Empty Hell (2024)
• Judas Church: Vatican again evokes Sympathy for the Son of Perdition (2023)
• Sympathy for the Devil: Vatican Newspaper tries to elicit Compassion for Judas Iscariot on Holy Thursday (2021)
• Francis: “Someone might think, ‘This Pope is a Heretic’…” for saying Judas Iscariot might be saved! (2017)

Seeking the rehabilitation of Judas Iscariot, in direct contradiction to divine revelation, is not new in the Vatican II Church. Until the arrival of Francis, however, it was a relatively marginal phenomenon.

If Francis wishes to put a painting on the wall that depicts Our Lord being betrayed, we suggest he use this one:

As we’ve said before, Judas betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver.

‘Pope Francis’ does it for free.

Title image source: composite with elements from YouTube (screenshot) and Osservatore Romano
Licenses: fair use