The Vatican Court of Appeal has rejected the appeal filed by the Promoter of Justice, Alessandro Diddi, deeming it “inadmissible” on procedural grounds.
Newsroom (26/09/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a significant development in the Vatican’s ongoing financial trial, the Court of Appeal, presided over by Monsignor Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, has rejected the appeal filed by the Promoter of Justice, Alessandro Diddi, deeming it “inadmissible” on procedural grounds. The ruling, announced on September 25, 2025, after a two-hour deliberation, upholds several acquittals from the first-instance verdict delivered on December 16, 2023, while narrowing the scope of the appeal process to focus solely on the defenses’ challenges. The next hearing is scheduled for October 6.
The third appeal hearing, held from 9:20 a.m. to 1:35 p.m. in the Vatican Tribunal’s new courtroom, saw intense debates over the validity of Diddi’s appeal. Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu and former Secretariat of State official Fabrizio Tirabassi were present, while Diddi was absent, pending a Court of Cassation ruling on a recusal motion deemed admissible at the first hearing. The prosecution was represented by Deputy Promoter Roberto Zannotti and Assistant Promoter Gianluca Perone.
Procedural Flaws Lead to Rejection of Appeal
The defense teams successfully argued that Diddi’s appeal failed to meet the procedural requirements outlined in the Vatican’s Code of Criminal Procedure. Specifically, they contended that the appeal lacked a proper declaration, consisting merely of Diddi’s pre-sentencing requisition rather than a formal post-verdict submission. The defense also highlighted non-compliance with mandatory filing deadlines.
In a heated exchange, Giandomenico Caiazza, attorney for financier Raffaele Mincione, described the prosecution’s submission as “offensive to our intelligence” and a “disrespect” to the court, arguing that accepting such a document would require judges to “deduce” the prosecution’s reasoning. Cataldo Intrieri, representing Tirabassi, criticized the last-minute submission of appeal grounds, noting their attempt to “reopen the entire Sloane Avenue case” after thousands of pages of defense arguments.
Zannotti and Perone defended the prosecution’s approach, asserting that the appeal followed a “logical-argumentative path” and met procedural requirements. However, the court sided with the defense, citing Articles 131 and 486 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The ordinance stated that appeal grounds “cannot be formulated in a generic or abstract manner” but must have “minimal specificity” to clarify the critique of the original ruling.
Partial Judgment and Confirmed Acquittals
Following the dismissal of the prosecution’s appeal, the court issued a partial judgment, affirming several acquittals from the December 2023 verdict. These include acquittals for Cardinal Becciu, Tirabassi, Reneé Brülhart and Tommaso Di Ruzza (former president and director of the Vatican’s Financial Intelligence Authority, now ASIF), and Monsignor Mauro Carlino. The acquittals, based on findings that “the fact does not exist” or “does not constitute a crime,” cover charges such as abuse of office and embezzlement, including Becciu’s case involving financier Alessandro Noceti.
The court also rejected a motion to nullify the appeal summons for broker Gianluigi Torzi and deemed admissible the appeal filed by Cecilia Marogna’s defense, despite disputes over notification methods via email.
Commitment to Fair Trial Principles
In delivering the partial judgment, Monsignor Arellano emphasized the principle of favor rei (favoring the accused), underscoring the court’s commitment to fair trial standards. Quoting Article 134 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, he declared that “no further criminal action is to be pursued” for the specified charges, as the December 2023 acquittals are now final.
The ruling marks a pivotal moment in the trial, which centers on the management of Holy See funds, particularly the controversial Sloane Avenue property deal in London. With the prosecution’s appeal dismissed, the Court of Appeal will now focus on the defendants’ challenges to convictions from the first-instance trial, which may lead to modifications or confirmations of those sentences.
Reactions and Next Steps
Exiting the courtroom, Cardinal Becciu described the ruling as “a good sign” but acknowledged that “there is still a journey ahead.” The trial, which has drawn international attention for its implications on Vatican financial transparency, continues to unfold as a complex legal saga. The upcoming October 6 hearing will address the remaining appeals, potentially reshaping the outcome for the defendants.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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