The seal of confession in a criminal trial vs revocation of the authority to administer the sacrament of penance in canon law

The article addresses the hitherto under-researched issue of the seal of confession in the criminal trial in the context of revoking the authority to administer the sacrament of penance in canon law. It turns out that the regulations of canon law and criminal trial are consistent in guaranteeing the inviolability of the seal of confession, known as the ‘sacramental seal’. Secrecy does not apply if the confessor is not a priest since only a priest can validly administer this sacrament. The article’s considerations also deal with other subjective and objective issues that have impact on seal of confession in canon law and criminal trial.