The former private secretary and a friend of the late Pope Benedict have been instructed by Pope Francis to return to his native Germany with no further tasks. Archbishop Georg Gaenswein is said to have been exiled from the Vatican.
This declaration clearly puts an end to any speculation regarding the position Gaenswein, a major Vatican figure for more than ten years, will hold inside the Church. Gaenswein, 66, was removed from his duties by Pope Francis as a result of a personal conflict.
Archbishop Georg Gaenswein Recalled to Germany by Pope Francis, Ending Speculation About Future Role
According to the shared article in Yahoo! News, Gaenswein, a relatively youthful dignitary of his rank, being allowed to return home without being assigned a specific mission is regarded as rare and creates the image of an implicit exile. Gaenswein should "for the time being" return to his diocese of Freiburg, according to Pope Francis' brief statement.
The majority of papal secretaries in the past have been promoted to important positions or given cardinalships, such as managing dioceses. Gaenswein falls short of this custom because he has nine more years before reaching the customary retirement age of 75 for bishops. Gaenswein has met with Pope Francis several times in recent months to discuss his upcoming position. He was rumored to be competing for a diplomatic position as nuncio, or ambassador, to a country, according to Catholic media outlets.
According to the story in Reuters, from 2003, even when Pope Benedict was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein served as his personal secretary. This collaboration lasted for almost 20 years, including the roughly ten years that followed Benedict's historic resignation.
Gaenswein divulges minute details of his experiences at the Vatican in his book "Nothing But The Truth - My Life Beside Benedict XVI." The book, which the publisher distributed to journalists just hours after Pope Benedict's funeral on January 5, caused a stir in the Vatican because it detailed purported tensions that occurred when two people, both dressed in white which is the traditional papal robe, resided inside the Vatican.
The relationship between Gaenswein and Pope Francis deteriorated way back in 2020, when Gaenswein found himself at the center of a dispute over Pope Benedict's involvement in a book on clerical celibacy. Many believed that Francis' authority was being directly challenged by this.
Gaenswein's recall to Germany without a new assignment, which Pope Francis announced last week, has put a stop to rumors about his involvement with the Church. His book's publication may, though, still be having an impact within Vatican circles.
Ongoing Vatican Controversy Caused the Deportation
According to another source, ABC News reported that in an email response to questions about Gaenswein's future, the diocese said that he had been relieved of his duties as the prefect of the papal household and that "this remains subject to future considerations" because "no other role has been assigned to him currently."
Gaenswein is scheduled to testify this week before a Vatican tribunal prior to his departure in a case regarding the alleged theft of funds involving the previous Sistine Chapel Choir directors. Given the choir's formal connection to the papal family, Gaenswein has previously expressed concerns about some inconsistencies in its financial records.
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