Pope says will not respond to allegations of cover-up

Pope Francis said on Sunday he would not respond to explosive accusations by a former top Vatican official that the pontiff had covered up sexual abuse, saying dismissively that the document containing the allegations "speaks for itself".

Francis, talking to reporters aboard the plane returning to Rome from Dublin, said he would "not say one word" on the 11-page document, in which the former official says Francis should resign. The pontiff said journalists should read the document carefully and decide for themselves about its credibility.

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