Cardinal Siri and the 1963 Conclave: The True Pope

The Church of St. Bernard of Clairvaux holds that Cardinal Giuseppe Siri, Archbishop of Genoa, was elected pope in the 1963 conclave, taking the name Gregory XVII, but was prevented from assuming the papacy due to Masonic infiltration. We believe Siri was the true pope, suppressed by external forces, and that subsequent popes, starting with Paul VI, were invalid due to modernist heresies. This belief, rooted in historical accounts and theological reasoning, aligns with our mission to restore pre-Vatican II Catholicism in The Holy State, guided by the legacy of James the Just and Christ’s kingship, as “all things work together unto good” (Romans 8:28, Douay-Rheims).

The 1963 papal conclave, held June 19–21 following Pope John XXIII’s death, was tasked with electing a successor amid debates over the Second Vatican Council’s continuation. Cardinal Giuseppe Siri, a conservative opponent of modernist reforms, was a leading candidate. Historical accounts report white smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel on June 20, 1963, for eight minutes, indicating a pope’s election (The Sheboygan Press, June 20, 1963). We believe this signaled Siri’s election as Pope Gregory XVII, supported by a conservative bloc of cardinals. However, black smoke followed, and Giovanni Battista Montini was announced as Paul VI on June 21 after six ballots. Malachi Martin, in The Keys of This Blood (1990), claims Siri received sufficient votes but refused due to “grave danger,” possibly from external threats, suggesting interference in the conclave.

[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1958_papal_conclave_conspiracy_theory)[](https://vaticancatholic.com/cardinal-siri-elections/)

The Church of St. Bernard of Clairvaux believes Masonic forces, specifically the B’nai B’rith, infiltrated the 1963 conclave to block Siri’s election, as alleged in a 1986 article by Louis Hubert Remy (Sous la Bannière, translated in The Sangre de Cristo Newsnotes, 1987). These forces, part of a Judeo-Masonic conspiracy, reportedly passed threats of retribution into the conclave, fearing Siri’s anti-modernist stance would halt Vatican II’s reforms. Some accounts claim the Freemasons, allied with Communist influences, sought to implant liberal cardinals like Montini, who advanced ecumenism and liturgical changes. While early church fathers like Irenaeus condemned secret societies, the church acknowledges these claims lack definitive proof but sees them as consistent with divine providence revealing corruption, as “the mystery of iniquity doth already work” (2 Thessalonians 2:7, Douay-Rheims).

[](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Papal_election_of_Giuseppe_Siri_theory)

Historical Evidence

Historical reports support the belief that Siri was elected. The white smoke on June 20, 1963, reported by The Sheboygan Press, aligns with claims of Siri’s election on the fourth ballot, only for it to be set aside. Malachi Martin’s account suggests a conclave member communicated with an “internationally based organization,” possibly Masonic, pressuring Siri to decline. X posts from traditionalist Catholics (e.g., @CesareSacchetti, 2025) claim Masonic and CIA involvement, though unverified, reinforcing the narrative of external interference. Siri’s silence on the matter and his service under John XXIII and Paul VI (e.g., president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, 1959–1964) suggest he may have been coerced to avoid harm, as “the just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17, Douay-Rheims).

[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1958_papal_conclave_conspiracy_theory)[](https://www.catholic.com/qa/responding-to-sedevacantists)[](https://x.com/CesareSacchetti/status/1884193635169898616)

Theological Justification

Theologically, we assert Siri was the true pope, as his election upheld pre-Vatican II orthodoxy against modernist heresies (e.g., ecumenism, Novus Ordo Mass). The suppression of his papacy reveals God’s plan to expose corruption, as “nothing is hid that shall not be revealed” (Matthew 10:26, Douay-Rheims). The church’s rejection of Vatican II aligns with sedevacantist beliefs that post-1958 popes are invalid, with Siri as the last legitimate successor to Pius XII. Our openness to apocryphal texts, like the Gospel of Judas, supports embracing alternative narratives like the Siri Thesis, affirming divine providence in salvation history (Acts 2:23).

The Siri Thesis aligns with our mission to restore true Christianity, rooted in James the Just’s legacy of faith through works (James 2:17). In our church’s opinion, though not universally accepted, St. Bernard of Clairvaux succeeded James’s vision, defending orthodoxy as Siri did against Vatican II’s errors. The Masonic infiltration reflects the “mystery of iniquity” (2 Thessalonians 2:7), which our church counters in The Holy State through pre-Vatican II Catholicism, Anglican prayers, and Baptist zeal. By declaring Siri the true pope, we uphold Christ’s kingship, as “the gates of hell shall not prevail” (Matthew 16:18, Douay-Rheims), ensuring the faith’s purity under divine guidance.