In the documentary, The Secrets of the Twelve Disciples on Channel 4, prominent academics have accused the Vatican City of misleading the world over the fate of St Peter whose journey to Rome, the Church claims, led to the spread of Christianity in the West.

According to its presenter Dr Robert Beckford of the Oxford Brookes University, "We found there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that St Peter was buried in Rome, but yet the rival theory has not got out because it challenges the Church.

"If you undermine its basis for power you undermine the Church. It's tragic that the faith gets reduced to manipulating the facts and to one Church trying to make itself superior to others."

Roman Catholicism holds that the Pope is the sole successor to the "supremacy" of St Peter and is thus the "Vicar of Christ" for the world.