THE Vatican police reportedly broke up a gay orgy in an apartment belonging to the department charged with tackling sexual abuse within the church. The occupant of the flat - in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - is said to be a secretary of Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio - a key adviser to the Pope. 3 Shocking news of the police raid has rocked The Vatican Credit: Alamy 3 Vatican cops broke up the party in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Credit: Alamy The cardinal is reported to have recommended his aide at one stage for promotion to the rank of bishop. However, those career plans are likely to be disrupted by news of the orgy and by a period spent recovering from a drug overdose in a Rome hospital and another in an Italian monastery.

The shocking allegations - in Il Fatto Quotidiano - come just a week after Australian Cardinal George Pell was charged with a string of historic sexual offences in his homeland piling pressure on the Pope.

He was appointed to clean up the Holy See’s finances as the Pope moves to make a number of reforms that have angered conservatives.

The Pope’s reluctance to help in the case of terminally ill Charlie Gard has also angered conservatives, despite his expression of hope that Charlie's parents can "accompany and treat their child until the end".

The heartbreaking case has made headlines around the world as the young parents fight for the right for their son to receive treatment for his extremely rare mitochondrial depletion syndrome.

3 News of the raid has piled more pressure on Pope Francis Credit: Getty Images

Charlie is just the sixteenth reported case in the world and can’t breath unaided or move his arms and legs.

He has not been home since he was eight weeks old when his parents first started noticing his condition going downhill.

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“Resistance to the Pope is growing,” revealed a Vatican source.

“We have seen five troubling ­stories emerge in a matter of a few days.

"They have created turbulence. There’s not going to be a schism, but the Pope has lost credibility in the eyes of many.”