In a message released by the Holy See press office on March 3, the pope said it was "a beautiful and joyful surprise" to hear that the encyclical Fratelli tutti had been translated into Russian and presented at a cultural center in the capital, Moscow.

"In this way, it will be made available to a large number of men and women of goodwill who wish to confront this text," the pope said in the message dated Feb. 17.

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The Holy See Press Office says the long-time secretary of emeritus Pope Benedict XVI has had his duties as prefect of the papal household "reallocated to others".

It is downplaying 63-year-old Georg Gänswein's absence from several papal audiences over the past few weeks.

It describes the change as "an ordinary redistribution of the various commitments and duties of the prefect of the papal household who, as you know, is also the personal secretary of the pope emeritus,".

Gänswein, who is from Germany, has been the emeritus pope's personal secretary since before Benedict became pope.

Several rumours are circulating about the reasons for his apparent sidelining from his papal household duties.

Some say Francis has given him leave of absence to devote full-time attention to Benedict. Some favouring this view are also speculating that the former pope's health is worsening.

Others are speculating that that Francis relieved Gänswein of his official Vatican duties because of his role in the publication of the recent book by Benedict XVI and Cardinal Robert Sarah, head of the Vatican's liturgy office.

Benedict contributed to an essay insisting on the necessity of priestly celibacy, that was written primarily by Cardinal Sarah.

The book's January 2020 release date coincided with considerations Pope Francis is weighing concerning whether to allow married priests in the Amazon.

Benedict's involvement is being seen as an attempt to influence Francis on this issue.

Many observers say Benedict's participation could not have happened without Gänswein's involvement.

Following the controversy about his involvement with the book, Gänswein phoned several German news agencies JBenedict had requested that his name be removed as co-author of the book, its introduction and its conclusion.

Although the German newspaper Die Tagespost has reported that Pope Francis placed Gänswein on an "indefinite leave" following the scandal over the book, the Vatican is denying this.

"No leave, we have no information in that sense," the Vatican press office says.

Gänswein hasn't been seen at Francis's general audiences since15 January, the day the Sarah-Benedict book was officially released.

Source

• La Croix
• National Catholic Register

The Vatican press office says no agreement on the matter has been made.

The confusion about what had been agreed to arose in the media early last week after Spain's deputy prime minister, Carmen Calvo, visited the Vatican.

She had an appointment to discuss Franco's exhumation with Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Afterwards, Calvo told media: "We've agreed, with the Catholic church, to work together to find a solution that obviously can't be the Almudena [Cathedral]."

"The cardinal appreciated that we have to find a solution so that, while Franco's remains are laid to rest with dignity, they are not the object of any kind of homage [which is what the Spanish government is trying to avoid]," she said.

Soon after Calvo's interpretation of her meeting with Parolin was published, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, published the following declaration:

"Regarding the meeting yesterday between the Secretary of State of the Holy See and the Vice President of the Government of Spain, I would like to state the following:

"Cardinal Pietro Parolin does not oppose the exhumation of Francisco Franco, if the competent authorities have decided in favour, but will at no time comment regarding the place of burial.

"It is true that Mrs Carmen Calvo expressed her concern about the possible burial in the cathedral of Almudena and her desire to explore other alternatives, also through dialogue with the family. The Cardinal Secretary of State thought this solution was appropriate."

Franco's burial place is near Madrid, in the ‘Valley of the Fallen.'

The Valley of the Fallen, which was partly built by captured republicans and political prisoners during the Spanish Civil War, is a mass grave. The remains of more than 30,000 people who fought on both sides of the Spanish civil war are buried there.

Only two graves are marked in the Valley: one is Franco's, the other is José Antonio Primo de Rivera's, the founder of the Falangist party.

Source

• La Croix
• The Guardian
• Image: Everystockphoto