The Pope is isolated and fails to adequately consult his advisers, said a Vatican source with 20 years’ knowledge of the Holy See.

Another Vatican insider described Pope Benedict’s four-year-old papacy as “a disaster”, recalling the pontiff’s previous inflammatory remarks on Islam and homosexuality.

“He’s out of touch with the real world,” the Italian insider said. “On the condom issue, for example, there are priests and bishops in Africa who accept that condoms are a key part of the fight against Aids, and yet the pope adheres to this very conservative line that they encourage promiscuity. The Vatican is far removed from the reality on the ground.”