The head of the Vatican communications department has resigned after coming under fire for doctoring a letter sent by retired Pope Benedict XVI. A brief Vatican statement said Pope Francis had "accepted" the resignation of Msgr. Dario Vigano. It comes after the Vatican admitted blurring part of a letter about Pope Francis written by his predecessor, in a picture sent to the media.
The tampering caused controversy amid concern over so-called "fake news". Professional standards of photojournalism forbid adding or removing anything from photographs, especially manipulations that alter their meaning. Media outlets covering the Pope often rely on handout images from the Vatican.
In his letter of resignation (in Italian), Msgr. Vigano told Pope Francis that although it was not intentional, his actions had "destabilised the complex and great work of reform". "I think that for me stepping aside would be a fruitful occasion for renewal," he said. The Vatican press office has not explained why the picture of the letter was doctored. It told the Associated Press that it was never intended for full publication.
No comments:
Post a Comment