Pope says sex outside marriage is not serious sin

“It is not the most serious because sins of the flesh are not the most serious,” he said. Instead, he called hatred and pride “the most serious of sins.”

Pope Francis made his comments on Monday aboard the papal plane on its return to Rome from a trip to Cyprus and Greece. He was asked about the resignation of Paris archbishop Michel Aupetit, who had requested forgiveness after reports of a relationship with a woman.

The 70-year-old cleric, who is bound by the Church’s celibacy rule, denied any intimate relationship with the unnamed woman, although Aupetit acknowledged his behavior may have been ambiguous.

“It was a failing against the sixth commandment (You shall not commit adultery) but not a total one, one of small caresses, massage given to his secretary — that is what the accusation is,” said Francis. “There is a sin there but not the worst kind.”

“He (the bishop) was condemned but by whom? By public opinion, by gossip .. he could no longer govern,” he added.

Francis said he still did not have all the details of the case and expected to get them from French bishops when they visit the Vatican soon to discuss a recent report on clerical sexual abuse in the country.

“I accepted the resignation of Aupetit not on the altar of truth, but on the altar of hypocrisy,” the Pope said.