Spain's Catholic dioceses to collect abuse allegations after talks with pope

Pope Francis holds the weekly general audience at the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican, January 12, 2022. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's Catholic Church is to set up local commissions to hear complaints from victims of abuse after holding talks with Pope Francis on Friday about allegations over eight decades detailed in a Spanish newspaper.

El Pais in December published the results of a three-year investigation it said uncovered potential abuse by 251 priests and some lay people from religious institutions against at least 1,237 victims between 1943 and 2018.