Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, made an oblique comment on the recent leaks of confidential Vatican documents on February 29, questioning the accuracy of the material that has become public.
At the opening of an exhibit in Rome featuring documents from the Vatican Secret Archives, Cardinal Bertone remarked that "these were the documents to look at and to show, which smack of historical truth.”
His remark seemed clearly intended to stress that the documents on display, unlike those that have recently been drawing attention in the Italian media, were appropriate for public viewing.
When questioned whether he had deliberately underlined the accuracy of the documents from the Archives, contrasting them with the material that has circulated in the Italian media, Cardinal Bertone replied: “You know that’s the case. You are well informed.”
Cardinal Bertone has been the central figure in the controversy roused by the “VatiLeaks” memos, which apparently have come from within the Secretariat of State.
While many analysts say that the leaks point to sharp disputes within the Vatican bureaucracy, official spokesmen have countered that the documents have been taken out of context and give an inaccurate picture of the real situation.
Vatican insiders have said the leaks likely stem from a clash of cardinals in the Curia, which the Vatican denies.
The first leaks were broadcast on Italian TV station La7 on January 25 when presenters on the investigative program Gli Intoccabili (The Untouchables) cited a letter from a former Church official accusing members of the Vatican's Finance and Management Committee of serving their own greed.
"The group is composed of some large bankers who do more to serve their own interests than ours," said Bishop Carlo Maria Vigano', ex-secretary general of the committee, in a letter to the pope.
The letter cites an instance in 2009 in which members allegedly improperly processed $2.5 million.
The Vatican threatened to sue over the broadcast.
"The group is composed of some large bankers who do more to serve their own interests than ours," said Bishop Carlo Maria Vigano', ex-secretary general of the committee, in a letter to the pope.
The letter cites an instance in 2009 in which members allegedly improperly processed $2.5 million.
The Vatican threatened to sue over the broadcast.
E-mails and other documents from Vatican officials followed, including a report that appeared in political daily Il Fatto Quotidiano about a plot to assassinate the pope before the end of 2012, and another on La7 accusing the Church of not cooperating with investigators in the 1982 fraudulent bankruptcy of Banco Ambrosiano.
Then Italy's largest bank, Banco Ambrosiano was run by Roberto 'God's Banker' Calvi, whose body was found hanging under London's Blackfriars Bridge that year.
Italian prosecutors say Calvi was killed for failing to repay Mafia money and his murder was staged to make it look like suicide.
Then Italy's largest bank, Banco Ambrosiano was run by Roberto 'God's Banker' Calvi, whose body was found hanging under London's Blackfriars Bridge that year.
Italian prosecutors say Calvi was killed for failing to repay Mafia money and his murder was staged to make it look like suicide.