Vatican: The Secretary of State accused the media of scandalism

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcizio Bertone accused the media of incitement scandal related to the publication of secret Vatican documents.

A second Vatican official said in an interview with the Italian Catholic weekly Famiglia Cristiana that journalists reporting on the scandal surrounding the release of confidential documents "are playing Dan Brown ... making up stories and repeating legends," the AP reported.

The allusion to Brown is particularly topical because he wrote the books "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons" which talk about the power struggle and scandals within the Catholic Church.

The Vatican has recently been hit by a scandal that has drawn attention to divisions among senior Vatican priests

The Pope has repeatedly complained about newspaper reports, believing that they "provide an image of the Holy See that does not correspond to reality."

The Pope's butler Paolo Gabriele was arrested on suspicion of stealing confidential papal documents, though some analysts believe there are other "moles" in the Vatican administration.

A book containing documents from the ministry of Pope Benedict XVI was recently published and is believed by many to be a conspiratorial attempt to undermine Bertone's authority.

The Pope himself has repeatedly complained about newspaper reports, believing that they "provide an image of the Holy See that does not correspond to reality."

And in the interview, Bertone accused the Italian media with all his vehemence of trying to cause divisions between the pope and his associates.