Priests would rather die than break the Seal of Confession, the most senior Catholic in England and Wales has told an inquiry into child sexual abuse.

The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, made the comments today while giving evidence at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

In the Catholic Church the Seal of the Confession is the absolute duty of priests not to disclose information they learn from penitents.

The Church has traditionally taught that this is absolutely inviolable under all circumstances, and that breaking it for any reason is a grave sin punishable by excommunication.

Cardinal Nichols, who is President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, told the IICSA yesterday that throughout history, priests have died to defend their role in confession, and that if this were to be challenged, “it might come to that” again.

Cardinal Nichols, said priests had been put to death in years gone by in their defence of the Seal of Confession and after refusing to divulge what a penitent had told them.