Peter Thiel Brings Antichrist Lecture Series to Rome

The closed-door event has drawn scrutiny from Catholic institutions and Italian lawmakers.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 4:49pm by Ben Kaplan

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U.S. billionaire Peter Thiel has launched an invitation-only four-lecture series on the Antichrist in Rome, drawing criticism from Catholic figures and raising questions about the influence of tech leaders on religious discourse and public policy.

Why it matters

The event places a prominent Silicon Valley investor and political donor at the center of a theological debate steps from the Vatican, prompting questions about the influence of tech leaders on religious discourse and public policy in Italy and beyond. The lectures arrived amid heightened attention to Thiel's policy ties and his company Palantir's government work, intensifying concerns in Rome about possible meetings with Italy's leadership and the broader implications of technology firms shaping ethical boundaries.

The details

Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, launched the invitation-only four-lecture series with the press barred and the venue kept secret, according to organizers. The Rome event mirrors a similar format he used in San Francisco. The lectures were described as jointly organized by the Vincenzo Gioberti Cultural Association and the Cluny Institute at The Catholic University of America (CUA), but CUA said it was not sponsoring or hosting the Rome gathering. The Angelicum, formally the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, also addressed reports suggesting it could host the lectures, stressing that the event was not organized by the university and would not take place there.

  • The lecture series started on Sunday, March 16, 2026 and will run until Wednesday, March 19, 2026.

The players

Peter Thiel

A U.S. billionaire, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, who has launched an invitation-only lecture series on the Antichrist in Rome.

Father Paolo Benanti

An artificial intelligence adviser to Pope Leo XIV who criticized Thiel's "entire action" as "a prolonged act of heresy against the liberal consensus: a challenge to the very foundations of civil coexistence, which he now considers outdated."

Pope Leo XIV

The current Pope of the Catholic Church.

Giorgia Meloni

The Prime Minister of Italy.

The Angelicum

Formally the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, which addressed reports suggesting it could host the Thiel lectures, stressing that the event was not organized by the university and would not take place there.

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What they’re saying

“We would like to clarify that this event is not organized by the University, will not take place at the Angelicum, and is not part of any of our institutional initiatives.”

— Angelicum spokesperson (Angelicum website statement)

“The Catholic University of America is not sponsoring or hosting an event featuring Peter Thiel this month in Rome. The Cluny Project is an independent initiative incubated at the university.”

— University spokesperson (The Associated Press)

“Christians debated these prophecies for millennia. Who was the Antichrist? When would he arrive? What would he preach?”

— Peter Thiel (First Things)

What’s next

The Rome series will conclude on Wednesday, March 19, 2026, after which attention will likely shift to whether the organizers disclose participants, themes, or future iterations in Europe or the United States. Catholic media and commentators will likely evaluate any published texts or recordings from the talks, as critical coverage has already emphasized the importance of public oversight and limits on private tech power in setting ethical norms.

The takeaway

Thiel's closed-door lecture series on the Antichrist in Rome has sparked concerns about the influence of tech leaders on religious discourse and public policy, raising questions about the boundaries between private power and public ethics in an era of growing distrust in institutions.