Vatican City is crowded with cardinals, fans, journalists, tourists, and souvenir sellers awaiting the papal conclave. In the middle of this was a bishop wearing a too-short cassock. Ralph Napierski of the Corpus Dei order (which he founded) made it through one layer of security, and even posed for pictures with the other cardinals before being expelled by Swiss Guards.
According to USA Today, security became suspicious of Napierski when they realized his cassock seemed shorter than appropriate. Also tip-offs: Napierski wore a black fedora instead of a skull-cap, and his bright purple sash was actually a common scarf.
According to The Telegraph, Napierski told reporters he belonged to the reportedly non-existent Italian Orthodox Church. A blog that appears to be associated with Napierski claims he is a bishop of a Catholic order called the Corpus Dei, also said to be fabricated. Napierski’s contact information on the blog points to an address in Germany.
Agence France-Presse reports Napierski told members of the media that his name is “Basilius,” and that he took particular issue with the Catholic church moving priests accused of paedophilia to different churches.
Napierski was headed to a private meeting with the other cardinals. There’s no word on what his actual goal was. Click here for more on the story.
