Bishop ordered to recant Holocaust denial

VATICAN CITY, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The Vatican has ordered a bishop recently reinstated in the Catholic church to renounce his view that no Jews were killed in gas chambers.

Church officials say that Pope Benedict XVI was not aware that Bishop Richard Williamson had made statements denying the Holocaust when he lifted his excommunication, CNN reported. Williamson, a former Anglican, was excommunicated after being consecrated bishop by a traditionalist leader in an unauthorized ceremony.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, said that Williams will be barred from functioning as a priest if he does not recant his views on the Holocaust. Williamson has apologized for causing "distress" but has not said his views were wrong.

In an interview with Swedish television, Williamson said there is no evidence that 6 million Jews were killed in gas chambers. He suggested that only about 300,000 died by other means.