In a move that many see as both overdue and unprecedented, the Vatican has announced the appointment of a special panel of judges to preside over the canonical trial of Father Marko Ivan Rupnik, a Slovenian priest and world-renowned artist accused of serial sexual, spiritual, and psychological abuse by dozens of women. The announcement, made on October 13, 2025, by the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), comes after a two-year review of evidence and mounting international scrutiny of the Catholic Church's handling of the case.
The panel, which consists of five judges—all European and including women and clerics who are not part of the DDF or any office in the Roman Curia—was specifically assembled to guarantee the tribunal's autonomy and independence. As stated by the DDF, this composition aims "to better guarantee, as in any judicial process, the autonomy and independence of the said Tribunal." According to reporting by Crux, the decision to appoint outsiders reflects a recognition of the need for impartiality in a case that has deeply shaken the Church and its faithful.
Father Rupnik, now 70 years old, is a former Jesuit whose intricate mosaics and artwork are found in some of Catholicism’s most revered sites, from the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace to the healing shrine at Lourdes, France, and even the chapel of Pope Leo XIV’s Augustinian religious order in Rome. Despite his artistic acclaim, Rupnik’s reputation has been irreparably tarnished by allegations from at least 40 women—most of them religious sisters from the Loyola Community he helped found in Slovenia in the 1980s—who say he subjected them to sexual, psychological, and spiritual abuse over several decades.
The scandal first erupted publicly in late 2022, when Italian blogs reported the explosive claims of nuns and other women who alleged abuse by Rupnik, sometimes during the very process of creating his celebrated art. But the roots of the allegations stretch back further. In 2021, nine former members of the Loyola Community formally complained to the Vatican, but at that time, the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), led by Cardinal Luis Ladaria, declined to open a formal canonical inquiry, citing the statute of limitations for the abuse of adults. This decision was met with widespread criticism, especially as similar provisions had been waived in other high-profile cases.
The Jesuit order, however, did take action. In December 2022, the Society of Jesus barred Rupnik from ministry, restricted his travel, and invited additional victims to come forward. This call yielded 15 new complaints. Yet, Rupnik refused to cooperate with the Jesuits’ internal investigation and was expelled from the order for disobedience in June 2023. The Jesuit order stated that the “degree of credibility” of the abuse allegations against Rupnik was “very high.” Despite his expulsion, he continued to live and work in Rome, seemingly free to carry out his ministry, until further public outrage forced the Vatican’s hand.
The Vatican’s initial reluctance to prosecute, and its reliance on technicalities like statutes of limitations, exposed what many saw as deep flaws in the Church’s legal system—especially regarding cases of abuse against adult women. As reported by the Associated Press, the case “badly tarnished the legacy of Pope Francis, given suggestions that the Jesuit pope, the Jesuit religious order and the Jesuit-headed Vatican sex abuse office protected one of their own over decades by dismissing allegations of misconduct against him.”
Pope Francis, for his part, denied interfering in the case during a January 2023 interview with The Associated Press. Nevertheless, facing mounting public pressure and a formal appeal from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Francis ultimately waived the statute of limitations in October 2023, allowing a canonical trial to proceed. The Holy See Press Office acknowledged at the time that “there were serious problems in the handling of the Fr. Marko Rupnik case and lack of outreach to victims.”
Despite these developments, the Vatican has remained largely silent on the specifics of the case. Nearly a year ago, Archbishop John Kennedy, secretary of the DDF and head of its Disciplinary section, indicated that the inquiry was in advanced stages. In May, Cardinal Victor Fernandez, the DDF’s prefect, noted the difficulty in finding suitable candidates for the tribunal, given the case’s notoriety. As of October 13, 2025, the Vatican has not disclosed when the trial will begin or what specific canonical charges Rupnik faces. According to Religion News Service, “it’s still not even clear what alleged canonical crimes he is accused of committing. The Vatican statement didn’t say. He hasn’t been charged criminally.”
The legal process itself is fraught with complications. The canonical trial, to be conducted under the Church’s internal law, does not grant victims the right to participate as parties to the proceedings—they are considered third-party witnesses, with no access to documentation and at most entitled to learn the verdict. As attorney Laura Sgrò, representing several victims, stated, “My five clients requested 18 months ago to be recognized as injured parties in the proceedings, so we hope that their position will be established as soon as possible. They have been waiting for justice for too many years, and justice will be good not only for them but also for the church itself.”
The case has also highlighted broader issues within the Church regarding the prosecution of sexual and spiritual abuse against adults. While the Vatican has refined its processes for handling cases involving minors, it has rarely pursued cases involving adult women, often assuming that any sexual activity between adults is consensual. Yet, as the Rupnik case demonstrates, the abuse of power, authority, and conscience can be just as damaging. The Vatican’s reluctance to address these forms of abuse has prompted calls for reform, with some Church leaders, including Pope Leo XIV, expressing concern about the need for due process but also for a culture that does not tolerate any form of abuse.
Meanwhile, the repercussions of the scandal extend beyond the courtroom. In July 2024, the Knights of Columbus, a major Catholic fraternal organization, announced that mosaics by Rupnik would be covered at two prominent chapels in the United States “because our first concern must be for victims of sexual abuse, who have already suffered immensely, and who may be further injured by the ongoing display of the mosaics.” The Society of Jesus and other Catholic institutions have similarly distanced themselves from Rupnik’s legacy, even as his artworks remain visible in churches around the world.
While some of Rupnik’s supporters continue to denounce what they call a media “lynching,” victims and advocates are demanding transparency and justice. The case has inspired documentaries and public campaigns, such as "Nuns vs. The Vatican," which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, spotlighting the voices of those who say they were silenced for too long.
As the Vatican prepares to move forward with the trial, the outcome remains uncertain. But for many, the very act of convening an independent tribunal marks a significant, if belated, step toward accountability in an institution still grappling with the legacy of abuse and cover-up.