VATICAN CITY, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The Vatican has narrowed the field of candidates for papal butler to three people, sources told Italy's ANSA news agency.
The applicant ultimately selected will replace Paolo Gabriele, who was arrested in May for alleged theft and possession of secret Vatican documents.
Gabrielle was accused of leaking some of the documents to the news media and the author of a behind-the-scenes book about the Roman Catholic church leadership.
ANSA said Friday one of the finalists is Angelo Gugel, who was butler to Pope John Paul II and has been in the post since Gabriele's arrest. However, the Vatican considers his age a drawback, sources told the news agency.
The other two candidates named were Sandro Mariotti, who was at Pope Benedict XVI's side at World Family Day this summer, and Andrea Monzo, a papal usher Benedict has known personally for several years.
There was no word on when the vacancy would be officially filled.
