Why furious Pope Francis forced his top bodyguard to resign
- First head of Vatican security to step down under a shadow of scandal
- He has served three pontiffs, often seen running beside the popemobile
Domenico Giani, the Vatican’s long-time security chief and Pope Francis’ main bodyguard, resigned over leaks related to an investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing in the Vatican.
Giani, 57, a former member of Italy’s secret services, had been part of the Vatican security apparatus for 20 years, serving three popes, and had held the top post since 2006.
No previous head of Vatican security has left under a shadow in living memory. His resignation is the latest twist in a saga that has gripped the Vatican for two weeks.
It started with an unprecedented and unexplained October 2 raid by Giani’s men on two key Vatican offices, the Financial Information Authority (AIF) and the Secretariat of State.
The subsequent leak and publication in Italian media of an internal police notice bearing pictures of five Vatican employees, including the number two at AIF and a monsignor in the Secretariat of State, has left the Vatican in turmoil.
The Italian Espresso magazine said the probe was into “real estate operations abroad”, notably in London.