Writing on his personal blog, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, says Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin lied in a recent speech when he asserted that Pope Benedict XVI approved of the Vatican-Chine deal years before it was signed. “The most repugnant thing is the insult to the [Pope Emeritus] by saying that he approved at the time the agreement signed by the Holy See two years ago, knowing that our sweetest, most gentle Benedict certainly will not come out to deny it,” Zen said.