VATICAN CITY
Irish Times
Paddy Agnew in Rome
Tue, Nov 24, 2015
For the second time in three years, the Holy See this morning sees the opening of a Vatican City trial investigating the internal theft of confidential documents. The so-called Vatileaks 2 trial sees five people indicted – Spanish monsignor Lucio Angel Vallegjo Balda, his Italian lay assistant Nicola Maio, lay consultant Francesca Chaouqui and writers Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi.
The pair both published books this month – Merchants in the Temple by Nuzzi and Greed by Fittipaldi – which outlined not only the mismanagement of the Holy See’s finances but also the resistance of elements in the Roman Curia (and elsewhere) to the reform process instigated by Pope Francis.
Summer investigation
The investigation into these thefts began this summer, while Msgr Balda and Ms Chaoqui were both first arrested and questioned on November 2nd. Msgr Balda, an official at the Vatican’s prefecture for economic affairs, has been held in the Vatican since then while Ms Chaoqui was released after questioning.
Many commentators believe the haste with which this trial is being conducted is because Pope Francis wants the affair resolved as soon as possible so it will not drag on into celebrations for the Holy Year of Mercy. Some observers argue the trial may be over before the Holy Year starts on December 8th, Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
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