Overview
- The Vatican announced Pope Leo accepted the resignation of Bishop Rafael Zornoza, without referencing the allegation or the ongoing probe.
- A church tribunal convened at the Vatican’s embassy in Madrid, known as the Rota, is investigating an accusation dating to the 1990s.
- El País reported that a former seminarian told the Vatican this summer that Zornoza abused him from his early teens through young adulthood.
- The Cádiz y Ceuta diocese denies the claim, says Zornoza is cooperating, and notes he paused public duties while receiving cancer treatment.
- Zornoza, 76, led the diocese since 2011 and is the first Spanish bishop publicly known to face a Vatican abuse investigation, with this appearing to be Pope Leo’s first such removal and no interim leader named yet.