Initially, what i thought when reading this is that the research can get through because the church found it AFTER seeing the research Orochi started under Mika's threat, but i'm not so sure. I used google to translate mainly to get the gist of things happening, and then re-word(?) it with my limited English and the context from the past chapters.
I mean a "Saintess's Holy Staff" is definitely a big project, but near impossible to start without strong basis, Orochi can't say that he is under a threat, and there's no foreseeable threats like a big demon invasion as far as i know to urge this thing to be made. The Eclipse is coming after a few arc too. But it all makes sense if the Church is the main sponsor for this.
If the pope comes before mika, then... why doesn't he just ask Orochi to make the staff?
From Chapter 85 it is confirmed that he is working with Universum, but since when? if it's since like his career in Albidus and the reason he moved to Rose Kingdom is because Universum as well, then... exactly my question