Convicted Cardinal Becciu Waives Participation in Conclave

"Since the well-being of the Church, to which I have served with loyalty and love and will continue to serve, is close to my heart, and to contribute to the serenity of the conclave, I have decided, as I have always done, to follow the will of Pope Francis," said Cardinal Becciu in a letter regarding his decision to abstain from participating in the conclave.

Cardinal Becciu, convicted due to financial scandal, emphasizes his innocence

Vatican City. He will therefore not participate in the conclave, "although I am convinced of my innocence," added the cardinal from the island of Sardinia. The 76-year-old had been a close confidant of Francis for seven years as the number two in the Secretariat of State. The Pope himself had promoted him to cardinal. However, in September 2020 - at the end of a conversation, the content of which was never revealed - Francis effectively dismissed him. The reason was unclear at the time.

At the end of 2023, Becciu became the first cardinal in the history of the Catholic Church to be sentenced by a Vatican court to a prison term of five years and six months. The trial involved questionable multi-million dollar deals in a real estate scandal in which he was involved. Becciu's exact status as a cardinal has not been entirely clear since then.

In a listing by the Vatican, the churchman is listed as a "non-voter" among the cardinals. However, the cardinal argued in a newspaper interview last week that the list has "no legal value." In 2022, Francis invited Becciu to the consistory, the assembly of cardinals where new dignitaries are appointed. The Italian sees this step as a kind of rehabilitation after the withdrawal of his rights as a cardinal. There is currently no official information from the Vatican on this matter.

(APA/red)

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