Cardinal Angelo Becciu will not help choose the next Pope
A cardinal embroiled in a feud with Australia’s George Pell will abstain from conclave after a letter written by the late Pope was uncovered in a scene reminiscent of the Ralph Fiennes movie.
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A cardinal who was found guilty of financial crimes - and was one of George Pell’s fiercest rivals - will not vote in next week’s conclave after letters by the late Pope Francis emerged showing that he did not want him participating in choosing his successor.
The Italian cardinal, Angelo Becciu, up until last week was defiant that he could still vote in conclave but on Tuesday he withdrew after he was presented with two letters – written by Pope Francis before his death – saying he should not participate.
Becciu clashed with the the late Australian cardinal - who until 2017 was prefect of the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy - over their views on investment and oversight of the Vatican’s finances.
Becciu, 76, was previously one of the most powerful figures in the Catholic Church and he and nine others were found guilty in the Vatican’s criminal court in 2023 of embezzlement and other financial crimes.
Becciu was found guilty after an investigation into his financial deals which saw the Vatican invest €350 million (A$624 million) in luxury London property.
Becciu was given a five and a half year jail sentence in December 2023 but he has denied any wrongdoing and is appealing the decision.
The fallout resembles the plot of the popular 2024 movie titled Conclave when the dean of the College of Cardinals goes on the hunt for a letter written by the late pope before he died that demanded a cardinal should quit.
Becciu’s trial was dubbed “the trial of the century” in the Vatican’s criminal court and it was the first ever trial for a cardinal.
Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke and heart failure, had fired Becciu from a senior Vatican job in 2020 before his trial.
Francis ordered Becciu to renounce his rights of the cardinalate but it remained unclear if he could be allowed to vote at the conclave.
Becciu’s lawyer, Fabio Viglione, released a statement on Tuesday announcing he would not vote.
“Having at heart the good of the church, which I have served and will continue to serve with fidelity and love, as well as to contribute to the communion and serenity of the conclave, I have decided to obey as I have always done the will of Pope Francis not to enter the conclave while remaining convinced of my innocence,” the statement said.
Only cardinals aged under 80 are allowed to vote in the conclave and Becciu was not on the list but wanted to be added.
Two cardinals have withdrawn from voting for health reasons so 133 will vote when conclave begins on Wednesday, May 7.
More cardinals are expected to arrive in Vatican City in the coming days ahead of going into lockdown in the Sistine Chapel.
They are cut off from the outside world while the voting process is underway.
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Originally published as Cardinal Angelo Becciu will not help choose the next Pope
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