VATICAN CITY — The Vatican moved Wednesday to dispute claims that a ruling had been handed down in the church trial of Slovenian priest Marko Ivan Rupnik, a well-known religious artist accused of sexual and psychological abuse by more than two dozen women, most of them former nuns.
The case has drawn widespread attention as a measure of how seriously the Catholic Church takes accountability when clergy members face abuse allegations.
Rupnik, whose mosaic artwork decorates roughly 200 churches and chapels across the globe — including sites within the Vatican itself — was removed from the Jesuit order in 2023 after the order determined the accusations against him were “very highly” credible.
Earlier this week, a Catholic blog called Messa in Latino published a report claiming Rupnik had been found not guilty by Vatican judges. A lawyer representing some of his alleged victims, Laura Sgro, also raised concerns about the secrecy surrounding the internal church proceeding.
The Vatican press office responded with a statement clarifying the case is far from over. “The evaluation of the case is still ongoing, and the panel is examining documentation from the dioceses involved, the Jesuits, interested parties, and the press,” the office said.
Officials also defended the confidentiality of the process, stating: “During the trial, as with any judicial proceeding, no information regarding ongoing activity can be shared in any way, out of respect for the trial itself and to avoid harming anyone involved.”
Rupnik, who is 71 years old, has not spoken publicly about the allegations made against him.
In 2024, former nun Gloria Branciani came forward at a press conference with detailed accusations. She alleged that Rupnik pressured her into three-way sexual encounters with himself and another nun in Slovenia, claiming it was an act of devotion to the Holy Trinity. She also said that later, while in Rome, he forced her to accompany him to pornographic movie theaters.
