Vatican City, May 21, 2012 / 12:42 pm
The Vatican says it considers the continued leaking of confidential documents, including private correspondence belonging to Pope Benedict XVI, a “criminal act” that it will seek to bring to justice.
“The latest publication of documents of the Holy See and private documents of the Holy Father can no longer be considered a questionable – and objectively defamatory – journalistic initiative, but clearly assumes the character of a criminal act,” said Vatican spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi, in a statement issued to the media May 19.
“The Holy Father, but also several of his collaborators and the senders of messages directed to him, have seen their rights to personal privacy and freedom of correspondence violated,” he stated.
The Vatican statement follows the publication of a new book containing a series of leaked letter addressed personally to Pope Benedict XVI. “Sua Santita” (His Holiness) is the work of the Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi.