Curia orders mystic to refrain from issuing messages from alleged apparitions

The Maltese Catholic archdiocese has issued a directive that appears to gag self-styled mystic Angelik Caruana, by calling on him not to issue his alleged messages from the Virgin Mary to the public.

Caruana, who claims to be in contact with the Virgin Mary and holds regular activities at a shrine at Borg in-Nadur, Birzebbugia, was found to have faked blood-like secretions from a statue of the Madonna.

"For a number of years, it has been alleged that certain phenomena and messages have been occurring at Borg in Nadur. In a spirit of discernment and evaluation of these alleged phenomena and messages, the authorities of the Church in Malta feel that the time is ripe to issue this directive, namely that such phenomena and messages are no longer to be announced and interpreted in the public fora," the archdiocese said.

The Church has also said Caruana will only attend activities at Borg in Nadur on the 26th of every month, where his followers hold a rosary meeting.

"This directive holds until the Church authorities announce otherwise. Meanwhile, the Church authorities will continue to receive and evaluate all the information and scientific research with respect to this case."

An internal Curia document had found the blood on the statue inside the home of Angelik Caruana had in fact been human blood, allegedly that belonging to Caruana himself.

Caruana had delivered a message claiming the Virgin Mary was exhorting voters to vote against the introduction of divorce.

Caruana was also involved in a minor security breach at the Vatican, when he climbed over a security barrier at the Paul XI hall. Pope Benedict XVI was hosting a general audience at the time, when Caruana attempted to deliver a letter to Ratzinger. According to Vatican press chief Fr Ciro Benedettini, the letter was taken by the Vatican gendarmerie, and contained "devotional messages". Caruana was then escorted to the exit.