Rumours circulating online that Vatican authorities are formally investigating the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI have drawn international attention this week, after a routine legal response from the Vatican prosecutor’s office was widely interpreted as evidence of a deeper inquiry.
The speculation centres on correspondence issued by Alessandro Diddi, the chief prosecutor of the Vatican City State, who declined a request for access to documents linked to a petition questioning the validity of the 2013 resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. His office stated that the matter remained in an “investigative phase”, prompting claims across social media that a formal investigation into the resignation itself was underway.
