Images of artwork created by a disgraced celebrity cleric accused of rape have disappeared from official Vatican Media websites without explanation, almost a year after the head of the Vatican’s communications outfit strongly defended his department’s continued use of the images.
The offending images were digital reproductions of works created by Fr Marko Rupnik – a former Jesuit accused of spiritually, psychologically, and sexually abusing dozens of victims over a period of 30 years – mostly while based in Rome.
Most of Rupnik’s alleged victims were women religious, several of whom belonged at one time to a congregation of sisters he had helped to establish in his native Slovenia.
Pope Francis protected Rupnik from prosecution, according to Vatican sources, and even had pictures made by the priest on the walls of his apartment at the Casa Santa Marta.
Rupnik pictures formed part of the artwork on the Vatican Media website in spite of claims by women that Rupnik had raped them and engaged in group sex during the creation of his art and also performed quasi-satanic rituals involving sacred objects.
The artwork was finally ordered to be taken down Cardinal Sean O’Malley held a meeting with Pope Leo XIV last week.
Rupnik “was protected by Pope Francis,” a Vatican official told Crux on condition of anonymity, but “things are changing” under Pope Leo.
Rupnik allegedly abused his victims as part of his “creative process” – which survivors, victim-advocates, and observers from across the spectrum of opinion in the Church say makes Rupnik’s abuse inseparable from his “art” works, which are found in shrines and chapels all over the world and even in the Apostolic Palace.
Some victims and advocates have called Rupnik’s work “rape art” and many have called for its removal from sacred space.
More: https://thecatholicherald.com/pope-leo-orders-the-removal-of-rupniks-rape-art-from-vatican-websites/
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