Cardinal Lamberto left Rome with a large sum of money and several documents. Fearing that their corruption will be exposed, Keinszig, Lucchesi, and Gilday plot to murder the Pope. Gilday poisons the pontiff's tea, killing him in his sleep. The character of Lamberto and the film's depiction of the events which led to his murder are based upon one of the conspiracy theories surrounding the sudden death of the real-life Pope John Paul I, Albino Luciani. Like the Lamberto character, Luciani was discovered dead in his bed in 1978, 33 days after his election to the papacy. Various theories, such as the
Pope Matthew III of Alexandria Pope Matthew III of Alexandria Pope Matthew III of Alexandria (Abba Matta III; died 31 March 1646) was the 100th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. His papacy was during the time when Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire and was ruled by consecutive short-term (2–3 years each) representatives of the sultan and the church was under much pressure from the rulers. After the departure of Pope Youannas XV on 2 Pi Kogi Enavot 1346 A.M. (7 September 1629 A.D.), the Synod of Bishops met with leaders of the Christian people, and thought together