The Vatican vs. the US billionaire and his lectures about the Antichrist

In mid-March, American billionaire Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies, found himself at the center of an unusual and controversial event. He arrived was Rome to hold closed seminars dedicated to «biblical Antichrist (antichrist)» to the topic that it names «the main drama of Western civilization»։

The closed seminars took place on March 15-18. The first event took place in the historic Palazzo Tavern building. About 100-160 invited guests – representatives of Catholic circles, journalists and businessmen – participated in the seminar. Meeting formats emphasize their closed nature. A ban on the use of mobile phones has been established, the disclosure of information is assumed under the terms of the “Chatham House rule”, and a fine of up to 10,000 euros has been established for breach of confidentiality.

Till’s lecture was preceded by a speech by Peter Robinson, former spokesman for Ronald Reagan. The program also included a Latin Mass in the Basilica of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini.

Organizer:was «Vincenzo Gioberti» cultural association that publicly thanked the billionaire as one of Donald Trump’s key backers and an ally of current Vice President James Vance.

Till’s visit took place in a tense political landscape. George Maloney’s government officially denies any meeting with the billionaire, but it is known: Italian Ministry of Defense PalantirTechnologieshas been negotiating with since 2024:

The opposition Democratic Party of Italy has already sent a parliamentary request asking: Will the “artificial intelligence king” Thiel not become the unofficial partner of the Italian government?

Critics have described him as: «techno-capitalism» ideologue, and his companies as a tool of digital control used by states. The topic of the lectures itself attracts special attention. Till has been active in religious and philosophical reasoning in recent months.

In his comment “the antichrist” is not a mystical figure, but a modern one «advanced» or a government regulator expanding public control under the guise of combating climate crises or epidemics.

Such views have caused a sharp reaction in Catholic circles. Earlier, Pope Francis warned of the danger of a “technocratic paradigm” in which AI could limit human perception of reality and impose uniform models of thinking.

This approach is in direct contrast to the views of Thiel, whose companies specialize in data analysis and mass profiling algorithms.: Catholic periodicals accuse the billionaire of having a “nihilistic” worldview, and PalantirTechnologies of creating a “false theology of espionage.”

Observers say Till’s visit to the Eternal City may be “coincidental” on the eve of the publication of current Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical on AI and its risks.

Not surprisingly, institutions such as the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Catholic University of America, which have been mentioned as possible platforms for Thiel’s lectures, have stayed away from participating in the events. According to the news, this was claimed by the State Secretariat of the Holy See.

One of the interesting questions is: Why Rome? The choice of the Eternal City as the site of the Antichrist seems highly symbolic. It is not only a settlement, but also the center of the Catholic world, where religion, politics and history intersect.

Till’s workshops remain closed and their exact locations are not disclosed. But it is already clear. it is not only about theology. The story of his visit to Rome is a clash of two worldviews: the technological (based on surveillance and data) and the humanistic (supported by the Vatican).

Behind the Antichrist debate are more mundane questions: power, influence and the future of digital society. And that is why the interest in these closed meetings is much more than the religious theme.

STANISLAW STREMIDLOVSKI

iarex.ru

Translation by Zhanna Avetisyan

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