Opus Dei, the Roman Catholic order, is seeking to dispel its image as a sinister and secretive organisation by backing a Hollywood biopic of its founder, St Josemaria Escrivá de Balaguer.

The film is part of a “charm offensive” that includes a cartoon version of Escrivá’s childhood, to be released at Easter, and an annual journal of Opus Dei studies, published in Rome yesterday. The order said that the campaign was a response in part to the film version of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, which features an Opus Dei assassin. It said that the book and film, although full of “grotesque lies”, had given Opus Dei a high profile that it could use “to spread the truth”.

Mr Corigliano said Opus Dei was not financing the film, but would supervise it for accuracy.

Times Recommends

• Congo's rangers risk their lives to guard gorillas
• Pearl farming in China losing its lustre
• Axl Rose mystery as album arrives at last