Media seeks to “imitate Dan Brown” in VatiLeaks scandal – VaticanJune 18, 2012 - 20:31 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Vatican's number 2 accused the media on Monday, June 18 of trying "to imitate Dan Brown" in their coverage of the VatiLeaks scandal and said the Roman Catholic Church's latest travails were part of the Devil's attempt to destabilize it, Reuters reported. The interview with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who ranks second only to Pope Benedict in the Vatican's hierarchy, was the latest attempt at damage control by senior Vatican officials since the leaks scandal began in January. In a rare interview with the Italian Catholic magazine Famiglia Cristiana, Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state, accused the media of "intentionally ignoring" the good things the Church does while dwelling on scandals. "Many journalists are playing the game of trying to imitate Dan Brown," said Bertone, referring to the best-selling author of novels such as "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons". "They (journalists) continue to invent fairytales and repeat legends," he said. The scandal involves the leak of sensitive documents, including letters written to Pope Benedict whose butler, Paolo Gabriel, was arrested last month after a large number of stolen documents were found in his home. Bertone said the media were full of "pettiness and lies spread in these days," adding that "outside Italy people have a hard time trying to understand the vehemence of some Italian newspapers". He said the Church was "an unequivocal reference point for countless people and institutions around the world" and added: "This is why there is an attempt to destabilize it". Bertone branded as false the image of the Vatican as a place of intrigue and power struggles, saying: "The truth is that there is an attempt to sow division that comes from the Devil". At a briefing with the Vatican's chief spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, an Italian reporter contested Bertone's portrayal of the media, telling him that the leaks scandal started with a letter in which an archbishop complained to the pope about corruption in the Vatican. Several leaked documents allege corruption in the Vatican's business dealings with Italian companies that were paid inflated prices for work in the Vatican, rivalries among cardinals, and clashes over the management of the Vatican bank. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |