VATICAN CITY
Deutsche Welle
A Vatican court trying the pope’s ex-butler for allegedly stealing confidential papers has adjourned its proceedings until next Tuesday. The former aide could face four years in an Italian jail.
The trial of Pope Benedict XVI’s former aide, Paolo Gabriele, opened on Saturday in a 19th century courtroom behind the apse of St Peter’s basilica which is normally off-limits to the public within the small Vatican city-state.
Gabriele did not speak at the trial opening, but is expected to testify next Tuesday. Television cameras were largely excluded from the courtroom and only eight journalists were allowed to observe proceedings throughout. They later briefed other journalists.
The court comprising three Italian law professors ruled that only evidence provided by a Vatican prosecutor and Vatican police would be admissible. The court declared that the results of a separate probe carried out by cardinals was not admissible.
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