Il Giornale - The newspaper’s director, Vittorio Feltri and the bust of Benito Mussolini

Mr. Berlusconi's disregard for "sober style" had become a source of "mortification" for the Catholic Church, Mr. Boffo wrote in an Aug. 12 response to an Avvenire reader.

Over the past week, Vatican officials and top Italian clerics have rallied behind Mr. Boffo as Avvenire and Il Giornale traded punches with bold headlines and front-page articles. Mr. Boffo accused Vittorio Feltri, Il Giornale's editor in chief, of running a smear campaign against him. Mr. Feltri has rigorously defended Il Giornale's reporting.

On Thursday, Avvenire accused Il Giornale of publishing "10 falsehoods" about Mr. Boffo, saying he never accepted a plea bargain in the 2002 case. Mr. Boffo hasn't elaborated on the details of the case.

The newspaper's director, Vittorio Feltri and the bust of Benito Mussolini

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