FRANCE

Top French cleric under pressure to quit over sex abuse scandals

Video by: François WIBAUX

One of France’s most prominent cardinals, Philippe Barbarin, is due to stand trial in January on charges he covered up for a known pedophile in Lyon, where Barbarin has been archbishop since 2002. This week, a French priest, the Rev. Pierre Vignon, launched a petition urging Barbarin to resign as both archbishop and cardinal. The bid has earned thousands of signatures. The 67-year-old Barbarin has admitted to making some “mistakes” in the management and nominations of priests, but the French senior cleric has denied cover-up allegations.