Vatican

The Vatican, the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church, functions in Origin as a distant but powerful benchmark of orthodoxy, against which the novel's schismatic and conservative movements define themselves. Though its direct presence in the plot is minimal, the Vatican's authority, its modernizing trajectory, and its historical conflicts with science form a crucial backdrop to the religious and political turmoil ignited by Edmond Kirsch's discovery.

Institutional Authority and the Schismatic Challenge

The Vatican's primary narrative function is to serve as the legitimate Catholic authority rejected by the Palmarian Church. The Palmarian Church, a breakaway sect, is defined by its sedevacantist belief that the Vatican's pope is a "false pope" and that St. Peter's seat is "vacant" . This schism is not merely theological; it is a direct challenge to the Vatican's global authority. The Palmarians claim to have evidence that the "true" pope is their own founder, Clemente Domínguez y Gómez, who took the name Pope Gregory XVII . The Vatican, in response, has excommunicated the Palmarians and spread "disinformation" about them, according to a Palmarian member . This conflict establishes a clear dichotomy: the Vatican represents a flawed but legitimate tradition, while the Palmarians represent a radical, ultraconservative rejection of that tradition.

The Vatican as a Symbol of Liberalization and Conflict

The novel presents the Vatican under a modern, liberalizing pope as a source of deep anxiety for conservative characters. Admiral Luis Ávila, a Palmarian operative, is appalled by the new pope's policies, which he sees as permitting followers to "pick and choose from a buffet table of God's laws" . The papal cross sticker on the Uber driver's windshield, a symbol of solidarity with this liberal pope, becomes a target of Ávila's contempt, making pulling a gun on the driver "an almost pleasurable experience" . This liberalization is contrasted with the Palmarian Church's strict traditionalism, which includes canonizing Francisco Franco and Adolf Hitler as saints . The Vatican's perceived weakness in the face of modernism is a key motivator for the conservative conspiracy that drives the plot.

Historical Precedent and the Suppression of Science

The Vatican's historical role in suppressing scientific discovery is invoked by Edmond Kirsch during his presentation. Kirsch cites the Church's "systematic murder, imprisonment, and denunciation of some of history's most brilliant scientific minds" , specifically naming Copernicus, Galileo, and Bruno. He argues that this suppression "delayed human progress by at least a century" . This historical precedent is used to frame Kirsch's own conflict with religious authorities, suggesting that the Church's opposition to his discovery is a continuation of a long-standing pattern. The Vatican's past actions serve as a warning about the potential for institutional religion to resist paradigm-shifting scientific truths.

The Vatican's Absence and the Crisis of Faith

Despite its symbolic importance, the Vatican is notably absent from the immediate crisis. It issues no official statement on Kirsch's discovery during the novel's timeline, a silence that Father Beña of the Sagrada Família wryly attributes to "divergence" among its leaders . This absence creates a vacuum that other religious figures, like Bishop Valdespino and the Palmarian pope, attempt to fill. The Vatican's failure to provide clear guidance in the face of Kirsch's scientific revelation underscores the novel's central theme: the waning power of traditional religious institutions to command belief in an age of science. The Vatican, as the ultimate symbol of Catholic authority, is rendered passive, its influence contested by both radical traditionalists and secular science.