(ZENIT News / Rome, 09.10.2023).- On Friday, September 8th, a Ukrainian media outlet (Channel 24) published an interview with Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to the office of the President of Ukraine. In the interview, one of the specific questions asked was, «Regarding Pope Francis’s statement about the heirs of ‘Greater Russia.’ They go on to explain what he meant. Pope Francis is a leader and is listened to. To what extent have these statements been heard or not heard in the world?»
Podoliak responded with three points: 1) that the Pope’s words tarnished the reputation of the Holy See, 2) that any Vatican mediation intentions were nullified, and 3) he mentioned «the investments that Russia is making in the Vatican bank. And why such a strange stance from a country called the Vatican? It is necessary to analyze it in more detail.»
Although the Vatican does not have a bank (the institution known as such is the Institute for the Works of Religion, IOR), the assertion raised suspicions. For that reason, the IOR issued a statement affirming the following:
1) The IOR does not receive or invest money from Russia.
2) The IOR strongly rejects the advisor’s deductions that the IOR invests Russian money.
3) Besides being false, such activity would also be impossible considering the strict policies of the IOR and the international sanctions that also apply to the financial sector.
The statement underscores that «First, the IOR does not accept as clients institutions or individuals who do not maintain a close relationship with the Holy See and the Catholic Church. Second, the IOR is a supervised financial intermediary that operates through internationally renowned and reputable correspondent banks governed by international standards.»
Therefore, «The contrary statements appearing in the press are baseless and should be regarded as such.»
