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| French President Emmanuel Macron (L) greets Apostolic Nuncio to France Luigi Ventura (R) as he presents his New Year wishes to members of the diplomatic corps at the Elysee Palace in Paris |
French authorities are investigating allegations that the Vaticanโs ambassador to France molested a junior official in Parisโ City Hall, a City Hall official said on Friday.
The official told Reuters that Archbishop Luigi Ventura, 74, who has held the post in Paris for the past decade, was suspected of having touched the buttocks of the male junior staffer during Mayor Anne Hidalgoโs New Year address.
Ventura โcaressed in an insistent and repeated manner the young manโs buttocks during the ceremony. He put his hands on his buttocks several times,โ the City Hall official said.
A judicial source confirmed a preliminary investigation against Ventura was underway.
The Vatican learned about the investigation from the media, spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said.
โThe Holy See is waiting for investigationโs conclusion,โ he added.
Pope Francis has come under fire over the Roman Catholic Churchโs handling of a long-running sexual abuse crisis.
While much of the recent focus has been on the United States, Australia and Chile, the trial last month of the Archbishop of Lyon put the spotlight on Europeโs senior clergy again.
Cardinal Philippe Barbarin is charged with failing to act on historic allegations of sexual abuse of boy scouts by a priest in his diocese. A verdict is due on March 7.
The Paris City Hall official said the allegations against Ventura involved a male employee from the mayorโs international relations team. He had been tasked with looking after Ventura during the ceremony.
City Hall filed a complaint against Ventura to Paris Prosecutor Remy Heitzโs office on January 23, six days after the alleged molestation.
