Pope Benedict XVI’s former butler Paolo Gabriele went on trial on Saturday accused of leaking confidential Vatican memos that revealed cloak-and-dagger politics among the pope’s closest aides.
Mr. Gabriele sat quietly in court for the start of a closely-watched case which if convicted could see him receive up to four years in prison for aggravated theft. The 46-year-old father of three looked wan in a pale grey suit and white shirt.
In it's first hearing of the case, the three-judge Vatican tribunal threw out some evidence gathered during the investigation of Mr. Gabriele.
The pontiff’s personal secretary Georg Ganswein, who was Mr. Gabriele’s superior, will be called to testify against his former charge, the court said.
Mr. Ganswein, 56, was Mr. Gabriele’s direct superior and confronted the butler about the leaks early in May after being tipped off by the Vatican police.
After a first session of just over two hours, mainly addressing preliminary legal questions, the court fixed the next hearing for Tuesday, October 2.
A once loyal servant who said he grew disgusted by the “evil and corruption” he witnessed, Mr. Gabriele told investigators he was acting as an “agent” of the Holy Spirit to help the Pope put a weary Roman Catholic Church back on track."
Continued, here.
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