Domenico Fabiani and Silvia Carlucci, both long-time employees of the IOR

Vatican: they get married in the Church and are fired. They are going to trial against the “Vatican bank”

Vatican Bank Faces Legal Battle Over Employee Marriage Policy. Former Employees Challenge Dismissal, Call for Justice and Compensation

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(ZENIT News / Roma, 02.04.2025).- A legal dispute is unfolding at the Vatican, where two former employees of the Institute for Religious Works (IOR), commonly known as the Vatican Bank, have taken their case to court. Their alleged offense? Getting married.

Domenico Fabiani and Silvia Carlucci, both long-time employees of the IOR, were dismissed on October 1, 2024, just a month after their August 31 wedding. The termination was based on a newly introduced regulation barring employees from marrying one another—an employment rule the couple claims was implemented after they had already announced their plans to wed.

Now, they are fighting back. In a legal complaint, Fabiani and Carlucci are demanding not only their reinstatement but also financial compensation for damages.

A Controversial Policy and Allegations of Retroactive Enforcement 

The dispute centers on a regulation introduced on May 2, 2024, which states that if two IOR employees marry, their contracts will be terminated within 30 days unless one of them voluntarily resigns.

The policy, aimed at preventing conflicts of interest within the Vatican Bank, is described by the institution as a common financial-sector practice. However, Fabiani and Carlucci argue that the rule was unfairly applied retroactively to their case, as they had made their wedding plans public in February, months before the regulation was enacted.

“When we informed the institute that we were getting married, we were fully compliant with the existing rules,” Fabiani told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

The couple claims that the IOR notified them of the new rule via email only after they had publicly shared their wedding plans—effectively forcing them into a dilemma where one of them had to resign or both would be dismissed.

Legal Battle Unfolds Amid Vatican Employment Tensions

The case was brought before the Vatican’s civil court.

Fabiani and Carlucci’s attorney, Laura Sgrò, a well-known Vatican lawyer described their treatment by the IOR as «harassment», arguing that they were suspended and faced salary reductions for reasons beyond their control, including media reports about their case that they were not even aware of.

Sgrò further claimed that the couple was penalized for discussing their situation with family members and with a representative from the Vatican’s Lay Employees Association (ADLV)—even outside of work hours.

“Their mistake, according to the IOR, was talking to their own relatives about a policy that directly impacted their wedding and their livelihoods,” Sgrò argued.

Carlucci emphasized the human and economic toll of their sudden dismissal, particularly as they support children from previous marriages that were annulled.

“The institute knew perfectly well that deciding two months before our wedding which one of us should be fired was both inhumane and economically devastating,” she said.

IOR: Policy Was Long Planned, Not Targeted at the Couple

The Vatican Bank maintains that the regulation had been in development for some time and was only enacted after the last case of a married employee couple had retired.

IOR lawyer Roberto Lipari argued that the institution had made efforts to accommodate Fabiani and Carlucci and that there had been “multiple moments” where a different resolution could have been reached.

However, Lipari firmly rejected the idea of further mediation, stating, «The IOR believes there is no longer room for reconciliation.»

He also dismissed accusations that the policy interferes with personal lives, insisting that it was introduced purely for institutional integrity.

“The IOR is not a moral judge of private lives. It intervened because the personal decisions of its employees have direct consequences on the functioning of the institution,” Lipari said.

Appeal to Pope Francis Raises Questions of Vatican Consistency 

As part of their legal appeal, Fabiani and Carlucci have requested that case documents be submitted directly to Pope Francis, citing the contradiction between his advocacy for family values and their treatment by a Vatican institution.

“The Holy Father speaks of supporting families and building a culture that values them,” Fabiani said. “Yet here we are—a family with two adults suddenly unemployed. This completely contradicts the Pope’s message.”

Lipari, however, dismissed the request as “entirely inadmissible”, arguing that Vatican Bank policies are distinct from general Church doctrine on family life.

Ironically, just last year, Pope Francis publicly congratulated two Vatican communications employees on their wedding, despite their workplace lacking a similar non-fraternization policy. However, intervention in the IOR case remains unlikely, as **the Pope himself approved the bank’s recent efforts to combat nepotism and potential conflicts of interest.

Larger Discontent Among Vatican Employees 

Beyond this individual case, the trial highlights growing discontent among Vatican employees over financial policies and labor conditions.

In recent months, the Association of Vatican Lay Employees (ADLV) has voiced frustrations over the impact of financial reforms on salaries and benefits, as well as the lack of dialogue between staff and Vatican authorities.

The contrast between the Vatican’s official pro-family stance and the harsh reality experienced by some of its employees—such as Fabiani and Carlucci—has further fueled concerns about the transparency and fairness of internal policies.

For now, the fate of the couple’s employment remains in the hands of the Vatican courts. Their case could set a precedent for future workplace disputes within the Holy See, raising pressing questions about the balance between institutional policies and the Church’s ethical commitments to justice and family life.

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