Pope Francis says “sins of the flesh are not the most serious”.
According to the pontiff, of greater weight in the sight of God are pride and hatred.
Pope Francis stated this on Monday while interacting with reporters in the wake of the resignation of Archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit over an alleged intimate relationship with a woman.
The archbishop denied having any intimate relationship with the woman, which could have broken his oath of celibacy.
On a 90-minute flight from Athens to Rome on Monday, the pope revealed that he had accepted the resignation of the archbishop which was sent on November 26.
The pope further revealed for the first time that the archbishop had given “small caresses and massages” to his secretary, which “was a sin” but “not the gravest of sins.”
On the Aupetit affair, Pope Francis said, “It was a failing against the sixth commandment (You shall not commit adultery) but not a total one, one of small caresses, massage given to his secretary — that is what the accusation is.
“There is a sin there but not the worst kind.”
He said his decision to accept the archbishop’s resignation was because of the reputational damage and not because he had sinned.
“He was condemned but by whom? By public opinion, by gossip … He could no longer govern.
“I accepted the resignation of Aupetit not on the altar of truth, but on the altar of hypocrisy.”
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