The Vatican has said it cannot rescind the papal
knighthood awarded to television star Jimmy Savile, however the honour
dies with the individual.Savile, a well-known BBC children's television host who died last year at the age of 84, has emerged as an alleged child sex predator after his death.
Savile was made a Knight Commander of St Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II in 1990.
The Catholic Church of England said it has contacted the Holy See to ask it to posthumously revoke Savile's honour in recognition of the "deep distress" of the victims allegedly abused by Savile, a well-known BBC children's television host who died last year at the age of 84.
But the Vatican spokesman, the Reverend Federico Lombardi said that the names of people who receive the knighthood do not appear in its yearbook and that the honour dies with the individual.
Mr Lombardi said Savile never would have received the honour had the truth about his behaviour been known.