The Pope's butler and a fellow lay employee are to stand trial over documents stolen from the pontiff's private apartment.

The indictment brought by a Vatican judge accuses Paolo Gabriele, the butler under arrest since May at the Vatican, of grand theft.

While the Vatican had insisted throughout the investigation that Gabriele was the only person under investigation, the indictment also orders trial for Claudio Sciarpelletti. He is a layman in the Secretariat of State office and is charged with aiding and abetting Gabriele.

The documents embarrassed the Vatican, exposing infighting at high church levels, primarily involving Italian prelates.

The Vatican has promised a public trial. No date was announced.