‘You want me to perform another miracle?’ It was clear Alessandro had failed to grasp what the Archbishop had said to him. Beside His Grace, seated upon a tall high-backed gold painted chair, were Il Moro, his secretary and Father Marco. They were gathered in the Archbishop’s private office in the Duomo, a lavishly decorated room with a thick red carpet and an elaborately carved wood-panelled ceiling. Covering the wall behind the Archbishop was a large mural depicting the miracle of Saint Ambrose as a baby. A hive of bees hung from a sycamore tree above his head while on his cheek was a thick droplet of honey.
Choosing his words carefully, the Archbishop began a second time.
‘My good man, one miracle has been sufficient to galvanize the populace to faith. God has used your appointment as
