Vatican Head of Police Steps Down After Memo Leak

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VATICAN (ChurchMilitant.com) - Two weeks after a confidential Vatican memo was leaked to the press, the head of the Vatican's national police force has stepped down.

The Holy See Press Office made the announcement Monday morning regarding Domenico Giani, commander of the Vatican's national police force:

In order to assure the proper serenity of the ongoing investigation, coordinated by the Promoter of Justice and carried out by the Gendarmerie, since the perpetrator of the external circulation of the order — reserved to the staff of the Gendarmerie and of the Pontifical Swiss Guard — remains unknown, and although the Commander bears no personal responsibility in the unfolding of the events, Domenico Giani has tendered his resignation to the Holy Father out of love for the Church and faithfulness to Peter's Successor.

The leaked memo, published Oct. 2 in the Italian journal L'Espresso, announced the suspension of five officials and staff members following the Oct. 1 raid of the Secretariat of State and the Financial Intelligence Authority by the Vatican prosecutor's office.

"This publication was prejudicial to the dignity of the people involved and to the image of the Gendarmerie," the Vatican press statement notes.

A Vatican insider told Church Militant he believes Giani's resignation was "Parolin's way of getting the head of Giani."

"Parolin and his substitute Abp. Edgar Peña Parra were very embarrassed by the raid conducted by the Gendarmerie," the source said. "Giani's head was more than payback, it was a warning to any others who would continue to probe in the future."

Cardinal Pietro Parolin is the current Secretariat of State, and Peña Parra serves as deputy under Parolin. The positions are considered, respectively, the second and third most powerful positions in Rome.

"It could also signify that Francis is getting concerned about potentially getting removed from office," the source added. "'Stalinist purge' is an expression being used increasingly these days in Rome ..."

The Oct. 1 raid came in response to complaints from the Institute of Religious Works (also known as the Vatican Bank) about illegal real estate transactions, namely, the $250 million purchase of property on Sloane Avenue in London — funds unlawfully taken from Peter's Pence.

The remaining $250 million appears to have been spent on fraudulent legal firms established to cover the purchase of the London building.

At the time of the unlawful transaction, Cdl. Angelo Becciu was in charge as deputy Secretary of State — promoted to cardinal last year by Pope Francis.

Peña Parra, his current replacement, came to the position last year following a long string of homosexual scandals, including documents in the Vatican's possession from the rector of the Maracaibo seminary in northern Venezuela confirming that Parra reportedly seduced two seminarians in 1990.

Parra is also allegedly linked to the deaths of two men found on the island of San Carlos in Lake Maracaibo. According to Abp. Carlo Maria Viganò, "[T]he two corpses were found naked, with evidence of macabre homosexual lewd encounters."

In spite of a 25-page dossier submitted to the Vatican detailing these and other alleged crimes — allegations whose existence has never been denied by the Holy See — Pope Francis has promoted Parra to the role he continues to maintain.

Giani has headed Vatican police for more than 20 years, and is deeply involved in the Vatican intelligence service, known as Santa Alleanza ("Holy Alliance") or L'Entità ("The Entity"). An ex-officer of Italy's Guardia di Finanza (financial police force), he served as lead bodyguard for Pope Francis as well as Pope Benedict during his reign.

He was also reportedly tasked with locating the whereabouts of whistleblower Viganò, who remains in hiding for fear of his life after exposing a vast homosexual network — what he has called "the corrupt gay mafia" — in control of the Church.

As Church Militant reported in September:

When Abp. Viganò served as secretary general of the Vatican City State, General Giani reported to him. Now, in a dramatic turn of events, it is Giani who has been ordered by his superiors not only to ensure the personal security of the Pope, but equally coordinate in the hunt for Viganò.

In 2008, the Vatican City State joined INTERPOL, the world's largest international association of police forces with offices based in 192 countries. As a result, the Vatican now has access to tremendous resources and databases through its official police contacts and INTERPOL office locations throughout the globe.

The Vatican intelligence services even have a Gruppo Intervento Rapido (GIR), or "rapid-intervention group," which is known to possess highly sophisticated and innovative technological and logistical assets used in the furtherance of its assignments.

The Holy See Press Office statement concluded, "In his farewell to Domenico Giani, the Holy Father also thanked him for the extreme competence shown in the performance of his many sensitive tasks, also at international level, and for the undisputed professionalism he has brought to the Vatican Gendarmerie."

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