CNN Vatican Analyst: Sources Confirm Pope's Mel Gibson Quote

This week the pope's personal secretary, Archibishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, denied that the pope had offered any comment after privately screening Mel Gibson's upcoming "The Passion of the Christ" – due in theaters Feb. 25.

But John Allen, CNN's Vatican analyst and a correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, told network anchor Miles O'Brien that Vatican sources had confirmed to him that the pope did indeed comment on the film.

In December, Gibson's production firm, Icon, and columnist Peggy Noonan reported that after viewing the movie, the pope declared, "It is as it was."

The remark suggested that the pope was giving his imprimatur to the historical accuracy of the film. The papal endorsement angered critics of the film, who believe it will fuel anti-Semitism.

Controversy over the comments renewed this week with Dziwisz's denial. "The Holy Father told no one his opinion of this film," Dziwisz told Catholic News Service.

Gibson, through his spokesman, said that he believed the pope made that comment and that communications between Icon and the Vatican confirm the claim.

Allen indicated that Vatican sources have confirmed the papal quote.

"In mid-December, December 17, to be specific, a senior Vatican official told my newspaper that the pope had seen the film and had said, 'It is as it was' – meaning, as you indicated, that the pope found it to be historically accurate based on the Gospels."

Allen added that sources continue to assert the attributed papal comment, despite his secretary's denial.

"Now, at the same time, we have other Vatican officials, on background, who are continuing to insist the pope did say this," Allen told CNN.

"And we have yet other sources on the record who are saying they heard Dziwisz on other occasions say the pope did say it."

The bottom line, Allen suggested, is the implicit endorsement Gibson's movie received simply by the pope watching the movie.

"The mere fact that he took this seriously enough to sit down and watch it is in itself a kind of positive statement about what he thought was there," Allen said.

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