March 13, 2026
Holy memes, Vatican!
Peter Thiel's Antichrist Lectures
Invite-only Antichrist talks near Vatican spark memes as schools deny ties
TLDR: Peter Thiel is hosting invite-only “Antichrist” lectures in Rome while Catholic universities distance themselves, and the internet turned it into a meme-fueled PR debate. Commenters split between mocking him, calling it a savvy image play, and blasting coverage for focusing on politics over substance.
Peter Thiel brought his invite-only “Antichrist” lecture series to Rome, just steps from the Vatican, and the internet did what it does best: turned it into a meme war. Catholic universities reportedly linked to the event quickly said, “Not us,” setting off a firestorm of speculation and jokes. Some commenters went full pop-culture roast, with one dropping Taylor Swift lyrics to suggest Thiel might be the villain of his own story. Others zeroed in on the optics: a tech billionaire famous for Palantir and politics giving apocalyptic talks in the Vatican’s backyard? Peak 2026.
The hottest theory: it’s a “reverse Streisand effect,” a PR judo move to drown out old “Thiel = Antichrist” memes with his own lectures. Meanwhile, media critics piled on the article itself, grumbling that it hammered his politics and Palantir over substance. And the jokesters kept the party going: “What would the Antichrist preach—also, what kind of SaaS is he funding?” Thiel’s own writing in First Things about prophecy got name-checked, but the vibe stayed chaotic. Is this theology, branding, or both? The crowd can’t decide, but they’re absolutely going to joke about it. One thing’s clear: Vatican-adjacent drama + tech money + end-times talk = instant internet circus.
Key Points
- •Peter Thiel is delivering an invitation-only, four-lecture series on the Antichrist in Rome near the Vatican.
- •The event runs from Sunday to Wednesday and has become a highly sought-after ticket.
- •Controversy around the event led Catholic universities initially associated with it to deny official involvement.
- •The lectures were reportedly first slated for the Pontifical St. Thomas Aquinas University (Angelicum) in Rome.
- •Thiel’s background includes co-founding PayPal and Palantir, political ties to JD Vance, and a prior essay on the Antichrist in First Things.