According to Newsmax, Cardinal Bertone said the media was "intentionally ignoring" the good things the Church does while dwelling on scandals.
"Many journalists are playing the game of trying to imitate Dan Brown," said Bertone, referring to the best-selling author of novels such as The Da Vinci Code.
"They (journalists) continue to invent fairytales and repeat legends," he said.
Cardinal Bertone was commenting mostly on the VatiLeaks scandal which involved the leaking of sensitive documents, including letters written to Pope Benedict, whose butler was arrested last month after authorities found stolen documents in his home.
Rather than just report on the facts, Bertone said the media was spreading "pettiness and lies."
He said the Church was "an unequivocal reference point for countless people and institutions around the world" and added: "This is why there is an attempt to destabilize it."
He went on to rebuke the false image being spread by the media about the Vatican as a place of intrigue and power struggles.
"The truth is that there is an attempt to sow division that comes from the Devil."
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