Post date: Aug 13, 2012 6:11:48 PM
The Vatican ordered the butler to stand trial for leaking documents alleging corruption in the Holy See, revealing the involvement of a second Vatican employee and details of secret nocturnal meetings with a reporter.
"The Pope has obviously received a copy of the document. The Pope has the power to intervene at any time if he wishes to, but if he continues in the way he has acted up to now, he has not intervened and we can assume that the trial will go ahead," said Lombardi.
The Pope has the power to intervene in the trial of his former butler, Paolo Gabriele, but is unlikely to do so and will more likely allow magistrates to complete their work, says Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi.
VATICAN CITY (AUGUST 13, 2012) (REUTERS) - Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said on Monday (August 13) that the Pope was unlikely to intervene in the trial of his former butler Paolo Gabriele.
"Three things were found, one is a cheque payable to the Pope, one is a gold nugget - I wouldn't know how else to define it - and the third thing is a 16th century book."
A complex 35-page document on a scandal which has rocked the Holy See since butler Gabriele was arrested last May showed that the butler saw himself as an "infiltrator" of the Holy Spirit who wanted to clean up the Roman Catholic Church.
"He felt that by committing these actions he felt like he was acting as an instrument of the Holy Spirit in its efforts to heal the life of today's Catholic Church," said Vatican journalist Saviero Gaeta.
The indictment, which could lead to the most spectacular trial in the Vatican in 40 years, said computer expert Claudio Sciarpelletti would also stand trial on lesser charges of aiding and abetting a crime.