Spanish Cardinal Cristobal Lopez Romero, the Archbishop of Rabat in Morocco, has suspended himself from public ministry after allegations of sexual assault against adult women, the Vatican said.
In a statement published by Vatican News, Lopez Romero said he had been accused of “inappropriate behaviour toward adult women,” and confirmed that the Catholic Church had opened a preliminary investigation.
The accusations were first reported by AFP on Tuesday. The French news agency said at least five women had accused the 74-year-old cardinal of sexual assault.
Lopez Romero denied the allegations, telling AFP: “I have committed neither assault nor violence nor sexual harassment.”
The cardinal said he would fully cooperate with the Vatican investigation. He added that, to avoid interfering with the process, he would stop presiding over public celebrations and refrain from taking part in pastoral activities for the time being.
Lopez Romero has served as Archbishop of Rabat since 2018 and was made a cardinal in 2019. He is regarded as a relatively progressive figure within the Catholic hierarchy and was seen as a possible contender during last year’s papal conclave.