Reason why Pope Francis resigned

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the archbishop of Paris, who unexpectedly offered to step down last week after admitting to an ‘ambiguous’ relationship with a woman in 2012.

Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit said in a statement that he offered to step down ‘to preserve the diocese from the division that suspicion and loss of trust are continuing to provoke.’

In their own statement, the Vatican said that the pope accepted Aupetit’s offer, and named Monsignor Georges Pontier to serve temporarily in his place pending the pontiff’s appointment of a permanent new archbishop.

Aupetit wrote to Pope Francis offering to resign following a report in Le Point magazine saying he had a consensual, intimate relationship with a woman.

Roman Catholic priests take vows of chastity and Aupetit told Le Point he didn’t have sexual relations with the woman.

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