Archbishop Renato Boccardo files police complaint over social media attacks

Renato Boccardo, the Archbishop of Spoleto-Norcia and president of the Umbrian Episcopal Conference, has filed a formal complaint with the Spoleto police following defamatory posts on Facebook. The legal action was taken by the diocese through attorney Enrico d’Angerio.

The complaint targets Francesco Capozza, a Vaticanist associated with the newspaper Il Tempo. The contested posts included allegations regarding the Archbishop’s ecclesiastical career, specifically characterizing his 2009 transfer from the Vatican Governorate to the Spoleto-Norcia diocese as a “cacciata voluta da Papa Benedetto XVI” (an expulsion desired by Pope Benedict XVI).

Additionally, the posts contained insinuations regarding the Archbishop’s private life and criticized his professional relationships and leadership within the regional church. The diocese has expressed gratitude for the solidarity shown to the Archbishop by various individuals across Italy.