Separately, President Aoun sent a message to Pope Francis, expressing his deep condolences over the death of Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, who "played a prominent role in consolidating the foundations of
the Holy See's diplomacy, based on openness and the evaluation of the principles of justice among nations, peoples and other foundations of international engagement."
The mandatory reporting provision, while limited in scope to Vatican officials, marks the first time
the Holy See has put into law requirements for Catholic officials to report allegations of sex crimes to police or face fines and possible jail time.
MONTREAL - Vatican diplo-mat Luigi Ventura - who is already un-der investigation in France over alleged sexual assault - is now facing a similar complaint in Canada,
the Holy See's embassy in Ottawa said Thursday.
The Vatican said that, on January 11,
the Holy See's doctrinal watchdog office, the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, had found McCarrick guilty of "solicitation in the Sacrament of Confession, and sins against the Sixth Commandment with minors and adults, with the aggravating factor of the abuse of power".
Italian police have launched a murder inquiry after bones were found by workers renovating
the Holy See's Rome embassy.
Workers have discovered human bones at
the Holy See Embassy to Italy, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
Montini served in
the Holy See's Secretariat of State from 1922 to 1954 and was considered as the closest and most influential advisor of Pius XII, who in 1954 named him Archbishop of Milan, the largest Italian diocese.
Pope Francis has ordered a "thorough study" of all documents in Vatican offices concerning disgraced former US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, in
the Holy See's first response to accusations raised against the pontiff in the case.
With the U.S.-hosted 'Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom' drawing to a conclusion,
the Holy See's Secretariat of State Paul Gallagher stressed that religious freedom is the foundation for prosperity of mankind and that everyone has the right to breathe the air of freedom regardless of religion, reports said Tuesday.
Currently working of the Diocese of Fall Rivert, Massachusetts and who also works for
the Holy See's Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations, he presents an impressively inspired and inspiring volume of instructive commentary that is unreservedly recommended to all members of the Catholic community.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with the delegation headed by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States within
the Holy See's Secretariat of State, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend.