Convicted cardinal who fell from grace over embezzlement pulls out of conclave to choose new pope
A cardinal convicted over financial crimes by the Vatican has announced he will not take part in
the mysterious conclave to choose the next pope.
Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu was formerly a senior figure in Vatican but was forced to give up the 'rights and privileges' of a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2020 following his involvement in a financial debacle within the papal enclave.
With the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday and his funeral on Saturday - overshadowed by
Donald Trump's perceived 'disrespect'
- many were left wondering if the controversial cardinal would take part in the efforts to pick a new pope.
Hundreds of thousands of people, including over 50 heads of state, gathered in the Vatican for the funeral under the protection of a
massive security operation.
Read More
Related Articles
Trump supporters 'worried' that attending event could give them 'black mark'
Read More
Related Articles
Melania Trump's true feelings towards Donald Trump picked up by lip reader
An Italian Carabinieri sniper on guard duty near the Vatican City before the funeral
Becciu was once an influential Vatican chief of staff who was a leading papal contender himself. But he fell from grace in 2020 when Francis forced him to resign his job as head of the Vatican's saint-making office and his rights as a cardinal because of allegations of financial misconduct.
After his 2020 downfall, Becciu had said he would not participate in any future conclave but then launched an appeal in support his place. Finally on Tuesday if he backed down.
In 2023, Becciu was found guilty of embezzlement and fraud, leading to a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence. This marked him as the first cardinal to be convicted by the Vatican's criminal court.
Becciu was a leading papal contender himself
(Image: Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
However, the cardinal, who has consistently proclaimed his innocence, has lodged an appeal that is still being reviewed. He has been permitted to reside in a Vatican apartment while this process continues.
On Tuesday, the 76-year-old Italian issued a statement through his lawyers that said: '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 College of Cardinals has set May 7 as the start date for the conclave to elect a new spiritual leader for the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
Pallbearers carry the coffin of Pope Francis into St Peter Basilica
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Becciu's decision to step away from the conclave follows a statement he made to a newspaper in his local Sardinia just a week prior, where he asserted, "there was no explicit will to exclude me from the conclave nor a request for my explicit renunciation in writing."
The cardinal from Sardinia previously served as the "sostituto" a role akin to the popes chief of staff within the Holy See's Secretariat of State. This position granted Becciu immediate access to the pope and extensive influence within the churchs central administration.
He later transitioned to managing the Vatican's canonization office.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Diddy can still come out of trial a ‘winner' even if found guilty & despite damning trial abuse allegations, lawyer says
SEAN "Diddy" Combs can still come out of his federal trial as a winner if he's not convicted on all charges, despite the scandalous evidence and testimony from witnesses, according to an attorney. Week three of Advertisement 10 A sketch image of Sean 'Diddy' Combs speaking with his legal team on May 27 before court begins for the day Credit: Reuters 10 Cassandra 'Cassie' Ventura and Sean Combs attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala in New York City in May 2018 Credit: Getty Images - Getty 10 Combs pictured at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in May 2022 Credit: Getty Images 10 Combs listens as his former girlfriend Ventura testifies at his sex trafficking trial on May 14 Credit: Reuters The testimonies dived into the prosecution's accusations that the hitmaker, with the help of an inner circle of close confidants, used his far-reaching power and intimidation to cover up his alleged crimes and protect his public image. However, Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor who is not involved in the trial, said even if the music mogul is convicted of some crimes but not all, he will come out as a winner. "Diddy's defense is that these individuals engaged in these sex acts willingly," Rahmani told The U.S. Sun. Advertisement Read more in The U.S. Sun "There was no force. There was no coercion. They chose to do drugs. They weren't drugged. "And the fact that they may have been paid may be unlawful under the prostitution charges, but to the extent that the defense gets guilty verdicts on prostitution only, and not guilties on racketeering and sex trafficking, that would be a huge win for Diddy in the defense." WEEK THREE For the second day, the courtroom heard on Friday gut-wrenching testimony from Combs' former assistant, referred to only as Mia, about the total control he held over her. Mia, who worked for Combs for eight years in various capacities starting in 2009, testified how he made her work grueling hours and violently attacked her. Advertisement Most read in Celebrity Live Blog Breaking The former assistant, one of Combs' many ex-employees who have taken the stand, broke down in tears as she told the jury about the multiple times he allegedly raped her. Mia admitted in her testimony that she never disclosed the alleged sexual assaults to anyone, saying, "I was going to die with this." Diddy trial descends into CHAOS as his lawyers explode and demand case be thrown OUT The emotional victim recalled Combs' spurts of violence towards her and Ventura, telling jurors about the times he allegedly threw a computer and his bowl of spaghetti at her head. "I wondered, what did I do to make him like this to me?" Mia testified. Advertisement The jury heard from Mescudi testified about his brief relationship with 10 Sean Combs makes a heart gesture as he enters the courtroom on May 28 Credit: Reuters 10 Prosecutor Madison Smyser questions Combs' former assistant and government witness 'Mia' on May 29 Credit: Reuters Advertisement 10 Scott Mescudi, better known as rapper Kid Cudi, leaves the US District Courthouse after testifying at Combs' trial on May 22 Credit: AP:Associated Press 10 A photo of the damage Mescudi's Porsche sustained from a Molotov cocktail bombing Credit: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York The Mr. Rager rapper, 41, accused Combs of breaking into his house, messing with his dog and locking his pet in the bathroom. Mescudi's testimony was dominated by the January 2012 incident when his Porsche was blown up on his driveway by a Molotov cocktail, which he accused Combs of being responsible for. Advertisement The jurors were shown pictures of Mescudi's charred sports car with the cut-up roof where the explosive was thrown. The singer, 38, emotionally spoke about how Ventura, who said she did not want to engage in the sex acts, told the court her music career took a backseat due to the toll the "freak-offs" took on her day, testifying how she needed days at a time to recover. Advertisement Prosecutors also released photos of the injuries Ventura allegedly suffered from Combs' years-long abuse, including a gash on her forehead that had become a permanent scar. Dawn Richard, a singer who once competed in Combs' reality show Making the Band, also testified how she witnessed the music executive's abuse of Ventura. Richard, who was signed to Bad Boy Records and part of the trio Diddy – Dirty Money, described how Combs hit Ventura "on the head and beat her on the ground" during a visit to his home recording studio in 2019. Combs' trial is expected to continue until the first week of July, with the prosecution's case slated to rest the week of June 9. Advertisement Diddy's charges explained by a lawyer Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani explained the set of charges Diddy is facing to The U.S. Sun: "Diddy is facing three charges, or three sets of charges. "The first is racketeering, which you typically see with organized crime enterprises - so the mob, cartels, street gangs -but we're seeing it a lot more in sex trafficking cases. "And you don't need an organization like the mob, as long as it's an enterprise, which is something that consists of two or more people, and they engage in two or more RICO predicate acts, that's enough for racketeering. "Racketeering is a powerful charge because it allows the government to bring in all sorts of evidence of criminal activity, as well as all sorts of people, into that racketeering conspiracy. "And anyone who's a co-conspirator, they're on the hook for any criminal acts committed in furtherance of the conspiracy. "The most serious charge, though, is sex trafficking. "What separates sex trafficking from normal sex? Adults, of course, can consent to any type of sex, no matter how freaky it is. But sex trafficking has one of three elements: force, fraud, or coercion. "And the government is saying that Diddy used force to force these men and women to participate in these freak-offs, and he coerced them by drugging them. "The least serious charge is the prostitution, sometimes called the Man Act, and that's engaging in prostitution using some sort of interstate commerce across state lines. That obviously is unlawful. "Typically, you don't see federal cases for prostitution only, which is why it's the least serious of the crimes." 10 Combs intensely watches as his former assistant 'Mia' testifies at his trial on May 29 Credit: Reuters 10 Singer Dawn Richard exits the US District Courthouse with her attorney, Lisa Bloom (right), after testifying at Combs' trial on May 16 Credit: Reuters
Irish Independent
11 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Two dead, 192 injured and 500 arrested in France during Champions League final celebrations
BREAKING | More than 500 people were arrested by police during the Champions League final celebrations in FranceTwo people were reported dead, 192 injuredCelebrations after Paris St Germain crushed Italian opponents Inter Milan to win the Champions League for the first time More than 500 people were arrested by police during the Champions League final celebrations in France, and two people were reported dead and 192 injured, the interior ministry said on Sunday. Wild celebrations erupted across the French capital and beyond on Saturday night after Paris St Germain crushed Italian opponents Inter Milan to win the Champions League for the first time, although skirmishes with police later threatened to spoil the party.
The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Soaring shopping bills hitting Irish as supermarkets profit – new laws will give watchdog power to tackle price gougers
INFLATION and the cost-of-living crisis is an ever-increasing strain on many Irish households. Recent CSO stats show that prices here continue to climb. 3 The cost-of-living crisis is an ever-increasing strain on many Irish households Credit: Getty Images - Getty 3 Ged Nash says the government must act on soaring grocery prices Credit: Damien Storan Inflation soared in 2022 to reach 9.2 per cent, mainly due to greater demand for oil and gas after the Energy prices surged again in the aftermath of It then remained well above the Some parts of the READ MORE ON COST OF LIVING Writing in IT'S time to get a grip on grocery prices and the Bill I brought to the The Unfair Prices Bill addresses the ever-spiralling cost of the weekly shop. It seeks to give new enforcement powers to the Most read in The Irish Sun This is something I've been arguing with the government over for two years, and I'm pleased they at last appear to be listening and did not vote against my Bill. That's a start. Cost Crisis Hitting Irish Businesses And Causing Closure Havoc For too many of the big international multiples, their pricing policy remains a mystery as does their Irish profits. We have theories, and some facts. But the truth is, we simply don't know exactly why the prices of basic goods in supermarkets here remain high. PROFIT MARGINS This Bill will put an onus on the consumer watchdog to collect and publish key data on the price of the shop, and in doing so the new draft law will make it a First and foremost, it will force the big businesses we all shop with to be more transparent. It will keep them honest. At a time when The cost of COSTS RISING The price of a pound of butter has risen by close to €1 over the past year to an average of €4.69, a jump of more than 26 per cent, according to Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures. Beef, milk, cheese and lamb prices have all shot up in the last year and the latest figures from consultancy group Kantar shows price inflation in supermarkets is now running at 5 per cent, double what it was last year. All of this, when average wage growth looks set to come in at under 4 per cent this year. In other words, the hard-earned Cumulatively, grocery prices are up as much as 30 per cent over the past three years. 'GREEDFLATION' IS GROWING This means that a typical family is paying about €2,000 more for groceries a year. At the same time, the incomes of farmers and food producers are being squeezed, and the only winners are the supermarkets. The suspicion that 'greedflation' is at work is growing. In Ireland in 2025, we have hard-working parents opting to feed their children over themselves while food producers and multinational supermarkets rake in profits. As I've said many times, you can't eat good GOVERNMENT HELP NEEDED The government must help those who need it most. For the most part, this means investing in making our public services work better, and fairer wages for However, it also means governments making smart, pro-consumer interventions. So many of our state's watchdogs have a bark that's as weak as their bite and that is because they don't have the underpinning legislation to sink their teeth into those acting against the public interest. My Bill will give them the teeth to let them do what they were set up to do — protect the consumer against profiteering of big business. 3 The price of a pound of butter has risen by close to €1 over the past year Credit: Getty Images - Getty
