Pope Francis on Wednesday accepted the resignation of the head of the Vatican's communications department, Monsignor Dario Vigano, the Holy See said in a statement.
Until Vigano's successor is appointed, the department will be headed by its secretary, Monsignor Lucio Ruiz, the Vatican statement added.
Vigano stepped down over the so-called 'Lettergate' scandal about a private letter from the previous pontiff, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, which he allegedly misrepresented at a book launch and then had digitally manipulated in a photograph sent to the media.