Pope Benedict XVI told President Nicolas Sarkozy of France that his wife Carla was not welcome on his recent visit to the Vatican as Italian media might publish racy photos of the French first lady, it was reported in France.Vatican officials are said to have sent the French ambassador an unambiguous message concerning the Italian-born supermodel's presence during her husband's 30-minute audience with the Pontiff earlier this month, namely: "Carla Sarkozy is not welcome in the Vatican."
Le Canard Enchaîné, the satirical weekly said the Pope was concerned that her presence would spark a rash of nude and scantily-clad photos from her modelling career being published in Italian newspapers.
"The Holy See want(ed) to avoid photos showing Carla and the Pope together on the front pages next to older but saucier photos (of Carla)," it wrote.
As a result, the 43-year-old model-turned-pop singer stayed in Paris during her husband's lightning visit.
Photos of the French first lady with little or nothing on dating from her catwalk model days have been a regular feature in the French and international press.
In one cover released in a Spanish magazine weeks before her February 2008 marriage to Mr Sarkozy, she appears reclining on a black leather sofa wearing nothing but high-boots.
A black and white print of her baring all and covering her intimacy with her hands was auctioned off at Christie's days after her first state visit to Britain in March 2008.
Mr Sarkozy requested a private audience with the Pope, observers, said, to woo back France's majority-conservative Catholic electorate shocked by his drive to deport Roma Gypsies over the summer – a move criticised by the Vatican itself.
Polls showed his popularity rating with French Catholics has fallen from 61 to 47 per cent in the past year.
Mr Sarkozy was raised a Catholic but in breach of its teachings has divorced twice and his third wife has a child out of wedlock.
During the trip he was seen making the sign of the cross.
Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy stayed behind in Paris for Mr Sarkozy's first Vatican visit, in December 2007, as the pair were not yet married.
That time the President managed to shock Catholics for a different reason: he was seen shamelessly checking his Blackberry messages within yards of the Pontiff.
The Elysée Palace in Paris had no comment on why the first lady stayed in Paris for the Vatican trip.
As a result, the 43-year-old model-turned-pop singer stayed in Paris during her husband's lightning visit.
Photos of the French first lady with little or nothing on dating from her catwalk model days have been a regular feature in the French and international press.
In one cover released in a Spanish magazine weeks before her February 2008 marriage to Mr Sarkozy, she appears reclining on a black leather sofa wearing nothing but high-boots.
A black and white print of her baring all and covering her intimacy with her hands was auctioned off at Christie's days after her first state visit to Britain in March 2008.
Mr Sarkozy requested a private audience with the Pope, observers, said, to woo back France's majority-conservative Catholic electorate shocked by his drive to deport Roma Gypsies over the summer – a move criticised by the Vatican itself.
Polls showed his popularity rating with French Catholics has fallen from 61 to 47 per cent in the past year.
Mr Sarkozy was raised a Catholic but in breach of its teachings has divorced twice and his third wife has a child out of wedlock.
During the trip he was seen making the sign of the cross.
Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy stayed behind in Paris for Mr Sarkozy's first Vatican visit, in December 2007, as the pair were not yet married.
That time the President managed to shock Catholics for a different reason: he was seen shamelessly checking his Blackberry messages within yards of the Pontiff.
The Elysée Palace in Paris had no comment on why the first lady stayed in Paris for the Vatican trip.
SIC: TC/UK