Angelo Becciu, an Italian cardinal who has been convicted of embezzlement and subsequently stripped of his privileges by Pope Francis, has announced that he will not participate in the upcoming conclave to elect a new Catholic leader.
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In a statement released by his lawyer, Cardinal Becciu indicated his intention to respect the wishes of the late pontiff, thereby ending a period of speculation regarding his potential involvement with other cardinal electors in the Sistine Chapel on May 7. “I have decided to obey, as I have always done, the will of Pope Francis not to enter into conclave,” Becciu affirmed, while maintaining his innocence.
The 76-year-old cardinal explained that he chose to step back “with the good of the Church in mind” and to foster “the communion and serenity of the Conclave.” This decision comes amidst a backdrop of legal troubles, as he faces trial along with nine others connected to a controversial investment by the Vatican in a luxury property in London.
In 2023, Cardinal Becciu was sentenced to five years and six months in prison for financial crimes; however, he is currently appealing the conviction. Once a powerful figure within the Vatican, he had reportedly hoped to participate in the conclave despite not being listed among the official electors.
Recently, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, presented him with two documents signed by Pope Francis confirming that he could not attend the conclave, according to Italian media reports. These letters were dated from both 2023 and more recently.
Cardinal Becciu holds the distinction of being the highest-ranking clergyman in the Catholic Church to face criminal proceedings in the Vatican. His rare disciplinary action aligns with Pope Francis’s broader initiative to reform the church’s notoriously opaque financial practices.
Having served as the second-in-command in the Secretariat of State from 2011 to 2018, Becciu worked closely with Cardinal Parolin, who is seen by many as a frontrunner to become the next pope due to his extensive diplomatic experience. However, Vatican expert John L. Allen Jr. cautioned last week that lingering questions over Parolin’s involvement in the London real estate scandal could be a significant hurdle in his candidacy.
Meanwhile, the Vatican announced that two cardinals will miss next week’s conclave due to health concerns, reducing the expected number of electors to 133. Although the Vatican has not publicly identified the absent cardinals, a source within the archdiocese of Valencia confirmed that former Archbishop Cardinal Antonio Canizares will not be attending for health reasons.
Out of 135 cardinals eligible to vote in this confidential ceremony, if all others are present, there will be 133 participants. To secure the papacy, a candidate must obtain at least a two-thirds majority, equating to 89 votes.
“Every decision made in a conclave carries the weight of the Church’s future,” and this upcoming election will undoubtedly have significant implications.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
