Pope Francis on Thursday condemned 'psychological violence and abuse of power' in the Church, as the case of a prominent priest accused of inviting two nuns to take part in a 'Holy Trinity' threesome has rocked the Vatican.
The pontiff, 86, made the apparently pointed remarks in his annual Christmas address to cardinals, bishops and other members of the Curia, the central administration of the Vatican.
It comes after Marko Ivan Rupnik, 68, was accused by a former nun of using his 'psycho-spiritual' control over her some three decades ago to have sex, including group sex, and watch pornographic films.
At the time of the allegations, Rupnik, who is known in the church for his artwork, was a spiritual director of a convent in Slovenia and the former nun, now 58, has described how her complaints against the priest were ignored.
Marko Ivan Rupnik, 68,(pictured) was accused by a former nun of using his 'psycho-spiritual' control over her some three decades ago to have sex, including group sex, and watch pornographic films
Rupnik, right, is now at the centre of a scandal that has engulfed the Jesuits, a Catholic order of priests and brothers, of which Pope Francis, left, is a member
The pope today said: 'Besides the violence of arms, there is also verbal violence, psychological violence, memek bernanah the violence of the abuse of power, the hidden violence of gossip.'
He added that no one should 'profit from his or her position and role in order to demean others'.
Although the pontiff did not refer specifically to Rupnik, the Jesuit order, of which the pope is a member, has been rattled by allegations against the high-profile priest.
Pope Francis said: 'There is also verbal violence, psychological violence, the violence of the abuse of power, the hidden violence of gossip'