Vatican Rebukes Reports Of Pentagon Threat In January Meeting

The Holy See Press Office said the media narrative about a January meeting between Cardinal Christophe Pierre and Under Secretary Elbridge Colby 'does not correspond to the truth in any way' and called it 'completely untrue.'

A Free Press report said Colby warned the Vatican the United States 'has the military power to do whatever it wants' and that a U.S. official invoked the Avignon Papacy.

The Defense Department's DOW Rapid Response called the January meeting 'substantive, respectful, and professional' and said recent reporting was 'highly exaggerated and distorted.'

U.S. ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch said Cardinal Pierre called the media characterizations 'fabrications' and described the meeting as 'frank and cordial,' while other Vatican sources called the meeting 'tense' and 'bullying.'

Cardinal Christophe Pierre is scheduled to preach at a prayer vigil for peace in Washington, D.C., which was ordered by the Pope.