VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has expressed concerns to the Italian government about a gay rights bill working its way through Parliament, prompting cries on Tuesday of church interference from liberal politicians, gestures of gratitude from conservatives and renewed tensions in the historically complicated relationship of neighboring governments that both call Rome home.
The Vatican confirmed Tuesday morning that the Holy See’s foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, hand delivered a letter at a Vatican event last week to the Italian ambassador to the Holy See expressing deep reservations about the bill.