UFO expert claims Vatican holds secrets about alien life

Steve Bassett, a UFO lobbyist, has made claims that the Catholic Church is concealing knowledge about extraterrestrial life within the Vatican. He argues that the Church has hinted at the existence of UFOs through religious artwork and has even suggested a willingness to baptize extraterrestrial beings. Bassett believes that the Vatican library contains extensive records related to alien encounters, and he urges experts to access the Vatican Apostolic Archives to investigate these claims further. The discussion around alien life gained traction following a congressional hearing where former intelligence officer David Grusch alleged that the U.S. government has been aware of non-human intelligence since the 1930s. Grusch's testimony included claims of recovered non-human craft and suggested that Italy discovered a UFO in 1933, which was communicated to President Franklin Roosevelt by Pope Pius XII. Despite these assertions, skepticism remains. Marco Grilli, a Vatican archives official, expressed doubt about Grusch's claims, indicating that the information lacks credible sources. Additionally, religious professor Diana Walsh Pasulka noted that while the Vatican has numerous accounts of paranormal events, they are not focused on historical UFO sightings. The implications of these claims are significant, as they challenge the understanding of the Church's role in the discourse on extraterrestrial life and raise questions about the extent of governmental knowledge regarding UFOs prior to the Roswell incident in 1947. The ongoing debate highlights the intersection of religion, government, and the search for truth about alien existence.