VATICAN CITY, May 28, (Reuters) – The worst crisis in Pope
Benedict’s pontificate deepened on Monday when Italian media
said at least one cardinal was among those suspected of leaking
sensitive documents as part of a power struggle at the top of
the Church.

The scandal exploded last week when within a few days the
pope’s butler was arrested for leaking documents, the head of
the Vatican’s own bank was abruptly dismissed and a book was
published alleging conspiracies among the cardinals or “princes
of the Church”.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican faces a widening scandal that in one short week has seen Pope Benedict’s butler arrested, the president of its bank unceremoniously dismissed and the publication of a new book alleging conspiracies among cardinals.

It was a poisonous Pentecost Sunday for the pope, who likely had the tumultuous events of the past week on his mind as he celebrated a mass in St Peter’s Basilica on the day regarded as the birthday of the Church.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – A saddened Pope Benedict marked a difficult Pentecost Sunday as the Vatican braced for a possible widening of the scandal that has seen his butler arrested on charges of stealing private documents in the “Vatileaks” affair.

The pope looked weary as he celebrated a mass in St Peter’s Basilica to mark the day when the Church teaches that the Holy Spirit descended on Christ’s apostles, or disciples.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Paolo Gabriele was always a reserved, almost shy man, as his position required. He had access to the most private rooms in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace – Pope Benedict’s apartment.

But what could have prompted the pope’s butler, who was formally charged by Vatican magistrates on Saturday with illegal possession of secret documents, to betray the man who trusted him?

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Vatican magistrates formally charged Pope Benedict’s butler with illegal possession of secret documents on Saturday and said a wider investigation would take place to see if he had any accomplices who helped him leak them.

Paolo Gabriele is suspected of leaking highly sensitive documents, some alleging cronyism and corruption in Vatican contracts, in a scandal which has come to be known as “Vatileaks”.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict’s butler was arrested on Friday in connection with an investigation into leaks of confidential documents, some alleging cronyism and corruption in Vatican contracts, a senior Vatican source said.

The scandal, which has come to be known as “Vatileaks”, involves the leaking of a string of documents to Italian media in January and February, including personal letters to the pope.

VATICAN CITY, May 25 (Reuters) – In the type of drama that
rarely filters out of the Vatican, the president of its bank has
been ousted by a board of external financial experts who voted
no confidence in his leadership.

Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, who was shown the door on Thursday
night as president of the Vatican bank formally known as the
Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), claimed he is a victim of
his efforts to make the bank more open.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican, embroiled for months in the so-called “Vatileaks” scandal involving the leak of secret papers, said on Friday its police had detained a person in possession of confidential documents.

A Vatican statement said the person was being questioned by Vatican magistrates, but gave no details. A Vatican source said the person was not a priest.

VATICAN CITY, May 24 (Reuters) – The president of the
Vatican bank has been ousted by the board of directors, the
Vatican said on Thursday, blaming him for a deterioration in
standards of governance.

The board unanimously passed a no-confidence vote in Italian
Ettore Gotti Tedeschi for failing to carry out “various
fundamentally important functions of his office”, the Vatican
statement said.