The Vatican’s spokesman has denied that the Church had imposed the charges on tickets to papal events during Benedict XVI’s visit to Britain in September.
Speaking in an interview with Vatican Radio, Fr Federico Lombardi said it was “absolutely wrong” to “speak about the Vatican demanding paid tickets to attend Mass”.
He said: “It is not the Pope who single-handedly organises a trip to England. So, first thing: the Vatican did not establish any rules in this regard. These are organisational methods dealt with on the spot by the local Church, but taking into account all the many organisational constraints imposed by civil authority.”
