The Vatican claims the archbishop had been brainwashed

He married Maria Sung in New York three months ago at a ceremony arranged by the Family Federation, an American based religious sect popularly known as the Moonies.

The archbishop returned to Italy earlier in the month in an attempt both to keep his wife and also to remain within the Catholic Church.

He had earlier been threatened with excommunication by Church authorities in Rome for abandoning his vow of celibacy.

The Pope made it clear to him that he would have to abandon his marriage in order to return to the Catholic fold.

Archbishop disappears

After meeting with the Pope, the archbishop disappeared from public view.

After meeting with the Pope, the archbishop disappeared

The Vatican then announced that Archbishop Milingo had agreed to renounce his wife.

But Mrs Milingo - now on the fifth day of a hunger strike - says she does not believe this.

Asked by the BBC through an interpreter what would persuade her to end her fast, Mrs Milingo said her condition was to meet her husband.

Vatican embarrassed

She said she would insist on meeting him alone and would not accept a meeting with Vatican representatives present.

Mrs Milingo earlier refused delivery of a letter from her husband which Vatican officials tried to hand to her.

Archbishop Milingo, who is 71, is staying at a monastery somewhere in Italy where, the Vatican says, he is preparing himself spiritually for the end of his marriage.

The Milingo case is highly embarrassing for the Vatican, in view of the Pope's total refusal even to discuss allowing Catholic priests to marry.