Jozef Wesolowski, a former archbishop and Vatican envoy to the Dominican Republic, has died before he could be tried for child sex offences.
Wesolowski, 66, was found dead in his rooms in Vatican City in front of the television, officials said.
He had been taken ill just before the start of his Vatican trial in July.
He was accused of paying for sex with children in the Dominican Republic and would have been the first senior church official tried on paedophile charges.
Wesolowski was recalled to Rome and defrocked by Church authorities in 2013 after he was filmed by local television apparently seeking child prostitutes in Santo Domingo. The case was seen as a test of the Vatican's pledge to stamp out abuse.
He had been taken ill just before the start of his Vatican trial in July.
He was accused of paying for sex with children in the Dominican Republic and would have been the first senior church official tried on paedophile charges.
Wesolowski was recalled to Rome and defrocked by Church authorities in 2013 after he was filmed by local television apparently seeking child prostitutes in Santo Domingo. The case was seen as a test of the Vatican's pledge to stamp out abuse.
Last year, the Pope compared the actions of those who commit such crimes to a "satanic mass".Image captionWesolowski was due to have been tried at a court set up by Pope Francis
Vatican spokesman Father Ciro Benedettini said first checks indicated that the former archbishop had died of natural causes, but an autopsy was being carried out.
Wesolowski was charged with abusing children in the Dominican Republican between 2008-2013 and also charged with possession of child pornography, dating from his return to Rome in 2013.
Vatican spokesman Father Ciro Benedettini said first checks indicated that the former archbishop had died of natural causes, but an autopsy was being carried out.
Wesolowski was charged with abusing children in the Dominican Republican between 2008-2013 and also charged with possession of child pornography, dating from his return to Rome in 2013.
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