Vatican spokesman reports to Secretariat of State, not to Pope
April 15, 2010
The director of the Vatican press office-- often identified in the media as a spokesman for the Pope-- actually takes his directions from the Secretariat of State, a BBC story reveals.
In an otherwise conventional report on the public-relations problems of the Holy See, BBC reports Father Federico Lombardi has not spoken directly with Pope Benedict about the sex-abuse scandal. "It is the Secretariat of State that decides the line, and I try to communicate that as best I can," Father Lombardi said.
The official spokesman for the Holy See said that he is "dependent on the Vatican's Secretariat of State, from whom I get directions."
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