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The Vatican has lifted the diplomatic immunity of his envoy to France, which is currently under investigation for badual badault.
This gesture – an indication of the Vatican's harsher approach to badual misconduct and abuse – opens the door for Archbishop Luigi Ventura, who faces criminal charges.
Ventura, 74, is accused of badaulting an employee of the city authorities of Paris at a New Year's reception during which Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, spoke to diplomats, religious leaders and civil society figures. The Paris authorities have been investigating the allegation for several months.
According to a judicial source, "during the ceremony, an employee of the city was repeatedly groped on the back, three times, once in front of a witness".
In March, Nathalie Loiseau, French Minister for European Affairs, urged the Vatican to lift immunity.
"At this point, [Ventura] enjoys diplomatic immunity, but the Holy See is clearly aware of the serious charges against the Apostolic Nuncio and I have no doubt that the Holy See will do what is right, "said Loiseau.
Alessandro Gisotti, acting communications officer at the Vatican, confirmed Monday that the immunity of the archbishop had been lifted.
"I can confirm that the Holy See has renounced the immunity of jurisdiction enjoyed by the Apostolic Nuncio in France, Bishop Luigi Ventura, by virtue of the Vienna Convention of 18 April 1961 on Diplomatic Relations, for the purposes of the criminal proceedings, "he said.
Describing the move as an "extraordinary gesture", Gisotti said that Ventura agreed to "collaborate fully and spontaneously with the French judicial authorities".
In March, after the first charge to Ventura, a second man claimed that the diplomat had badaulted him in Canada in 2008. According to Christian Vachon, Ventura would have touched his buttock at least twice during a banquet held at the basilica of Sainte-Anne-de- Beaupré, near Quebec.
Under the Vienna Convention, diplomatic immunity exempts state officials from prosecution or prosecution in their host country. In special circumstances, such as serious criminal offenses, protection may be waived by the country of origin of the diplomat.
The Vatican has faced a series of scandals related to badual abuse and badual misconduct, and has been accused of concealment and laxity.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis summoned bishops from around the world to Rome for a summit on the issue and then issued a decree obliging all Catholic priests and nuns to report badual abuse and concealment to religious authorities.
Ventura, born in Italy, is a career diplomat at the Vatican. He has been Apostolic Nuncio to France for almost 10 years.
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