UPI en Español  |   UPI Asia  |   About UPI  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Trial of pope's butler set to begin

|
 
Pope Benedict XVI. UPI/Stefano Spaziani
Pope Benedict XVI. UPI/Stefano Spaziani 
License photo
Published: Sept. 28, 2012 at 11:26 AM

ITALY, Vatican City, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- A former butler of Pope Benedict XVI goes on trial Saturday on charges he stole the pontiff's private papers and leaked the contents to the Italian news media.

Paolo Gabriele, 46, confessed to the crimes, saying he was an agent of the Holy Spirit who wanted to expose "evil and corruption" inside the Vatican, Britain's Guardian reported.

The leaked correspondence included accusations of kickbacks on Vatican contracts, internal struggles between cardinals and claims that a high Vatican official started rumors that a newspaper editor was gay.

A small group of journalists will be allowed into the Vatican court where three judges will conduct the trial on their day off from the Italian judicial system.

Standing trial with Gabriele will be Claudio Sciarpelletti, a Vatican worker who allegedly gave documents to the butler.

Gabriele has said 20 people were involved in smuggling documents out of the Vatican.

© 2012 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
'Star Trek Into Darkness' screening NBC upfronts Met Ball 2013
'Great Gatsby' premieres in New York Spire raised on top of One WTC 2013: Celebrity break ups and divorces
Additional World News Stories
1 of 18
Palestinian  Security Forces Patrol the Border With Egypt.
View Caption
A members of the Hamas security forces patrol the border area between Gaza and Egypt, in the southern Gaza Strip May 20, 2013. Egyptian police angered by the kidnapping of seven colleagues by Islamist gunmen kept a crossing into the Gaza Strip closed again for four days, stranding hundreds of Palestinian travellers, As Tunnels between Egypt and Gaza closed and border was declared as military zone. Palestinian security forces patrol around the border, witnesses said. UPI/Ismael Mohamad
fark
Bass fishing. Dolphin protection. Veteran support. All these license plates that support causes,...
Burglar destroys home and runs from cops, but stops mid-chase to grab a couple of beers by breaking...
Bomb shelters of the rich and famous
News: Canadian climbs Mount Everest. FARK: Double amputee conquers Mount Everest
Part-time model addicted to tanning in sun beds, admits she suffers from low-self esteem and tans...
Licensed volunteer wildlife rehabilitators help nurse animals back to health so they can reenter...