Pope won't allow gay ambassador in Vatican according to French officials

Vatican veto: Laurent Stefanini

Pope Francis has been known for his more liberal views but French officials say he has banned senior diplomat Laurent Stefanini from the Vatican because he is gay

Liberal Pope Francis has refused to accept the new French ambassador to the Vatican because he is gay, it has been claimed in France.

Senior diplomat Laurent Stefanini, a close ally of French President Francois Hollande, was nominated to the post in early January but the Vatican has yet to accept his credentials, officials in Paris said.

The French media has now widely reported that the apparent rejection by the Holy See was because of Stefanini’s homosexuality.

One Vatican insider was reported as saying the rejection was due to “ a decision taken by the pope himself.”

A new ambassador’s credentials are usually accepted within a month and a half. The Vatican does not normally explicitly refuse an envoy’s credentials, but a prolonged silence after a nomination is interpreted as a rejection.

Former Pope Benedict also never responded to the nomination of a gay French ambassador in 2007.

The Vatican has now declined to comment on whether openly gay Stefanini was also being rejected due to his sexuality.

Pope Francis was widely seen until now as being far less judgemental on homosexuality than his predecessor.

The Pontiff said two years ago: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?”

He also said that gay people should not be marginalised but integrated into society.

But Francis has also criticised gay marriage and is opposed to adoption rights for gay couples, both of which became legal in France in 2013 amid widespread protests from the country’s Catholic community.