One of the Pope's butlers has been detained by the Vatican, accused of leaking secrets about the Holy See.

The Italian media is reporting the Pope's butler has leaked confidential documents and letters from the pontiff's study to the press. He was caught in possession of secret documents, the Vatican said, but it would not confirm the suspect's identity, age, or when he had been arrested.

But informed sources claim the man is Paolo Gabriele, 46, who had been working as a butler in the papal apartments since 2006. One source said the pope was "saddened and shocked" by this "painful case".

The number of people who have access to the pope's private study is very limited, and includes his butler, four nuns and Benedict's two secretaries.

The so called 'Vatileak' scandal is said to have enraged the Vatican.

Italian newspaper Il Foglio says the suspect is likely to be used by the Vatican as "a handy scapegoat" for several others suspected of being involved in leaking documents, some of which ended up in a new book on the tiny state published a week ago.

Among papers leaked to Italy's press are some that have dealt with allegations of corruption within Catholic church ranks.

Journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi's book His Holiness reproduces dozens of top secret and private letters and faxes which were smuggled out by whistle-blowers that say they are tired of the corruption and unhealthy bitterness in the Vatican.

The leaks have described alleged corruption, mismanagement and internal conflicts among top officials in the Holy See.

Last month, the Pope set up a special commission of cardinals to investigate, and the inquiry reportedly led them to the butler.

Several high-ranking officials have been purged from the Vatican's staff in recent times, most recently the president of the Vatican Bank Ettore Gotti Tedeschi - who was stood down this week by the bank's board for underperformance.