Pope Francis acknowledged the 40th anniversary of an Italian teen’s mysterious disappearance Sunday, providing comfort to the girl’s family even as the lack of answers continues to haunt them. The story of Emanuela Orlandi, the daughter of a Vatican employee who went missing in 1983 at the age of 15, has long captivated audiences—even inspiring a hit Netflix series last year. Francis briefly offered a prayer for Orlandi in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, at one point expressing “closeness to the family, above all, the mother.” Her family seemed to appreciate the gesture, with her brother, Peter Orlandi, telling The New York Times: “It’s a very positive thing.”
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