Two Italian priests are being prosecuted on suspicion of sexual abuse of minors within the Vatican. This was decided by the Vatican's Justice Promoter, the Holy See said.
Gabriele Martinelli is accused of sexual abuse, Enrico Radice aiding and abetting abuse. It was about incidents in the so-called praesemium Pius X. before the year 2012. The accusations were made known by the investigative journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, who had reported in his last published book "original sin" about it.
In its statement, the Vatican said the investigation was launched in November 2017 after the press reported it. The lawsuit was made possible by an order of the Pope, who had abolished a suspected legal traceability at the time of the offense.
Martinelli was 21 years old at the time of the alleged sexual assault and was responsible for the training of ministries. Martinelli was ordained a priest in 2017. Radice was the director of the institution.
The pres. Seminar Pius X lies within the walls of the Vatican, just a few steps from the residence of Pope Francis. The preseminar is home to underage ministrants serving in St. Peter's Basilica and at the Pope's ceremonies.
Witness reports 140 cases of abuse
According to Italian press reports, a young Polish ministrant who shared a room with one of the victims had reported dozens of sexual assaults. He has witnessed up to 140 cases of abuse and has described that Martinelli made his victims docile through "power and intimidation". Together with other roommates he had reported the abuses first superior Martinelli and later informed cardinals in writing.
Pope Francis had introduced in May an internal reporting obligation for abuse cases. The Catholic Church has been shaken by abuse scandals for years. At the end of February, at a Vatican crisis summit, the Pope had called for "concrete and effective action" by the Church against child sexual abuse. The May decree to tighten church law was a result of the crisis summit.
