The head of the Vatican’s communications department has resigned over a scandal of a letter from the retired Pope Benedict that he mischaracterised in public and then digitally manipulated a photograph sent to the media.
The Vatican said Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Monsignor Dario Vigano on March 21. The so-called “Lettergate” scandal erupted after Monsignor Vigano read aloud a private letter from Pope Benedict XVI at a book launch for an 11-volume set of books about Pope Francis’ theology.
Monsignor Vigano didn’t read the whole letter, including where Pope Benedict objected to one of the authors.
Vatican’s then Secretariat of Communication Monsignor Dario Vigano at an even at the Vatican on February 8, 2018.
The Associated Press reported the photograph that Monsignor Vigano’s office issued had digitally blurred out the lines where Pope Benedict began to explain that he wouldn’t comment on the books. The manipulation violated photojournalism ethical standards.
