Silence replaces homily at Vatican funeral for ex-papal envoy sent to trial for sex abuse

VATICAN CITY – Eight minutes of silence instead of a homily have marked the Vatican funeral of a former papal diplomat, whose trial on charges of possession of child pornography and sexual abuse of minors had begun this summer in a Holy See courtroom.

A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini, said time for silent reflection followed the Gospel reading at Jozef Wesolowski's funeral Monday evening in a chapel in a Vatican administrative building.

The Holy See, citing preliminary autopsy results, says Wesolowski, 67, died of a heart attack in his room at the Vatican Aug. 27.

During the funeral, a ritual prayer so God might "cancel the sins that he had committed with human fragility" was recited.

Cameras were banned from the funeral. Burial will be in Wesolowski's native Poland.