The news was released by the priest of the Sv. Jakob ob Savi parish, Vlado Bizant, in the parish journal on Sunday.

Bizant, who is Uran's relative, confirmed the news for Dnevnik on Monday, adding that he had decided for the move after consulting the retired archbishop.

He told the paper that the people had the right to be informed about Uran's departure from Slovenia, but he did not wish to speak about the reasons for such as severe punishment from Rome.

Bizant wrote in the journal that everyone who knew Uran "knows that he has worked hard for the gospel, including at the expense of his own health", and that "being exiled from his homeland is a truly trying experience for him".

He said Uran had accepted the congregation's decision in the spirit of his bishop motto 'Yes, Father!' and hoped to be able to return to his homeland as soon as possible.

He said Uran thanked for all the prayers and rejected all claims that he was the father to a child.

The Ljubljana Archdiocese and Bishops' Conference said they had not been acquainted with the issue or in a position to comment it. This concerns agreements between Uran and the relevant bodies of the Holly See, they said in a response to the STA.

Uran retired in November 2009 citing bad health, but media reported in early May that the Holy See had ordered him and Franc Kramberger, former archbishop of Maribor, to withdraw from public life. The Slovenian Bishops' Conference denied the reports.

Media reports suggest that Uran is the father of one or more children, but Uran has denied the claim that the Holy See had demanded of him to take paternity tests.