After the meeting held yesterday, October 29, 2018, by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, and Carmen Calvo, Vice President of the Government of Spain, the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Greg Burke, issued a statement on October 30, 2018:
“Regarding the meeting yesterday between the Secretary of State of the Holy See and the Vice President of the Government of Spain, I would like to state the following: Cardinal Pietro Parolin does not oppose the exhumation of Francisco Franco, if the competent authorities have decided in favor, but will at no time comment regarding the place of burial.
“It is true that Mrs. Carmen Calvo expressed her concern about the possible burial in the cathedral of Almudena and her desire to explore other alternatives, also through dialogue with the family. The Cardinal Secretary of State thought this solution was appropriate.”
The confusion has been provoked by -according to some Spanish media- the communication from the Government of Spain on Tuesday that the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Pietro Parolin, had guaranteed to Carmen Calvo at that meeting her opposition to the fact that the Franco’s remains were buried in the cathedral of Almudena.
