Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation, suggested such criticism could be seen as akin to "physical violence" against the Roman Pontiff.

This carries a penalty of excommunication.

But US canon lawyer Ed Peters said provisions in canon law must be interpreted narrowly and physical violence means what it says - physical violence.

While hateful speech is objectively sinful, it is not a canonical crime punishable by excommunication, the canonist said.

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