Latest news with #Becciu
Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Who is Cardinal Becciu? Why isn't he participating in conclave to elect new pope?
Cardinal Angelo Becciu, 76, once a leading papal contender and a longtime Vatican diplomat, is not participating in the conclave to elect a new pope to succeed Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88. Becciu was forced by Francis to resign as the head of the Vatican's saint-making office, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and renounce his rights of the cardinalate on September 24, 2020.(AP file) Becciu had asserted his rights to participate in the May 7 conclave but withdrew after he was reportedly presented with two letters written by Francis before his death, saying he shouldn't participate due to allegations of corruption. The cardinal's statement released through his lawyer, Fabio Viglione, 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.' Becciu was forced by Francis to resign as the head of the Vatican's saint-making office, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and renounce his rights of the cardinalate on September 24, 2020, over several allegations of financial mismanagement. He is currently fighting a legal battle against the 2023 conviction by the Vatican's criminal court. The cardinal has denied all allegations and claimed that his trial was manipulated from the start. Who is Cardinal Angelo Becciu? A native of Sardinia, Becciu has served in Vatican embassies in several countries before taking up one of the most powerful jobs as 'substitute' in the Vatican Secretariat of State. It was Francis himself who made Becciu a cardinal in 2018 before the allegations surfaced. Known as a conservative from the old guard, Becciu rose to prominence under Pope Benedict XVI due to ideological affinity and became a close adviser to Francis, who advocated reforms and pursued social goals. Case linked to the Vatican's London investment A 487-page chargesheet from Vatican's prosecutors accused Becciu and nine others of money laundering, extortion and fraud among other serious allegations. The accused allegedly fleeced the Holy See of tens of millions of euros in fees and commissions during its 350-million-euro investment in a luxury London property. Becciu, then serving as the Substitute for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State, was accused of authorising the investment without proper oversight. Prosecutors also accused Becciu of sending 125,000 euros in Vatican money to a diocesan charity run by his brother in Sardinia. He argued that the money was meant for a local bishop who requested it for a bakery to employ at-risk youths, and the money remained in diocesan coffers. Becciu is also alleged to have paid a company run by a Sardinian woman, Cecilia Marogna, for its intelligence services. Prosecutors claimed to have traced transfers worth some 575,000 euros paid by the Vatican and expenditures for high-end luxury goods. The cardinal has said he thought the money was to be paid to a British security firm to negotiate the release of a Colombian nun who had been taken hostage by Islamic militants in Mali in 2017. Manipulated trial? The main allegation against the 'trial of the century' is that the prosecution's prime witness against Becciu and others was coached and manipulated by outsiders. Defence lawyers also argued that the pope's intervention, as an absolute monarch, during the trial violated their clients' right to a fair trial. The Pope's secret decrees to allow prosecutors to conduct intercepts and detain suspects without a judge's warrant were discovered during the trial and cited as interference. New evidence emerges The Vatican's tribunal had rejected these allegations, but new evidence that emerged in recent weeks about potential collusion between Vatican prosecutors and gendarmes (Vatican police) to target Becciu. An audio clip and WhatsApp chats published by the Domani newspaper suggested collusion to manipulate witnesses against the cardinal. Becciu reacted to these revelations, saying, 'From the very first moment I spoke of a machination against me: an investigation built on falsehoods, which five years ago unjustly devastated my life and exposed me to a pillory of worldwide proportions.' Hearing of his appeal against the conviction is set to begin in September. (With AP inputs)
The Independent
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
The disgraced cardinal who has withdrawn from the Conclave
Cardinal Angelo Becciu, once a powerful Vatican official and leading papal contender, has formally withdrawn from participating in the conclave to elect a new pope. The Vatican 's criminal court convicted Becciu in 2023 of embezzlement and other finance-related charges at the end of the so-called 'trial of the century.' In recent days, he insisted he was still entitled to vote in the conclave. However, on Tuesday, he withdrew, apparently after he was presented with two letters, written by Pope Francis before his death, saying he shouldn't participate. Who is Angelo Becciu? The 76-year-old is a longtime Vatican diplomat, he served in embassies in Angola, Cuba and elsewhere before taking up one of the most powerful jobs as 'substitute' in the Vatican Secretariat of State. Francis made him the head of the Vatican's saint-making office and promoted him to a cardinal in 2018, but later forced his resignation over allegations of financial mismanagement. The Sardinian native rose to prominence under conservative Pope Benedict XVI and is closely affiliated with the conservative Vatican old guard. While he initially became a close adviser to Francis, Becciu owes his downfall to him. What happened with Angelo Becciu? Francis forced Becciu's resignation as head of the Vatican's saint-making office and forced him to renounce the rights of the cardinalate on September 24, 2020, after receiving allegations that Becciu sent Vatican money to his brother in Sardinia. Becciu told journalists that his downfall was 'surreal,' but that he had a clear conscience. He said he remained loyal to Francis and was ready to die for him. The Vatican, in its official statistics, said he was no longer an elector in the conclave. Could Angelo Becciu become Pope? At 76, Becciu is under the age limit of 80 and technically eligible to vote. After days of controversy about his participation in the conclave, Becciu released a statement through his lawyer, Fabio Viglione, renouncing his participation. '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,' it said. It was not clear what the letters from Francis said. What was the trial about? Vatican prosecutors in 2021 issued a 487-page indictment accusing Becciu and nine others of numerous financial crimes, including fraud, embezzlement, extortion, corruption, money laundering and abuse of office. The main focus involved the Holy See's 350-million-euro investment in a luxury London property. Prosecutors allege brokers and Vatican monsignors fleeced the Holy See of tens of millions of euros in fees and commissions, then extorted the Holy See for 15 million euros ($16.5 million) to cede control of the property. The London investigation spawned two tangents that involved the star defendant, Becciu, including the Sardinia allegations. What was Angelo Becciu accused of? Prosecutors accused him of embezzlement because he sent 125,000 euros in Vatican money to a diocesan charity in Sardinia that was run by his brother. Becciu argued that the local bishop requested the money for a bakery to employ at-risk youths and that the money remained in the diocesan coffers. Becciu was also accused of paying a Sardinian woman, Cecilia Marogna, for her intelligence services. Prosecutors traced some 575,000 euros in transfers from the Vatican to Marogna's Slovenian front company, then expenditures for high-end luxury goods. Becciu said he thought the money was going to be used to pay a British security firm to negotiate the release of a Colombian nun who had been taken hostage by Islamic militants in Mali in 2017. Becciu and Marogna, and six others were convicted of embezzlement and other charges, and all are appealing. What are the questions about the trial? Questions continue about the integrity of the trial. During the proceedings, the court heard that Francis intervened on several occasions on behalf of the prosecutors and that the prosecution's prime witness against Becciu was coached and manipulated by outsiders. Defence lawyers discovered that the pope had secretly issued four decrees during the investigation to benefit prosecutors, allowing them to conduct intercepts and detain suspects without a judge's warrant. Lawyers argued that such interference by an absolute monarch in a legal system where the pope exercises supreme legislative, executive and judicial power violated their clients' fundamental rights and robbed them of a fair trial. The tribunal rejected their objections, but in recent weeks, more evidence has emerged about the outside manipulation of the witness and apparent collusion with Vatican prosecutors and gendarmes to target Becciu. The appeal is scheduled to begin in September.
9 News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- 9 News
How 133 men will elect the next pope explained
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here In just days, Catholic cardinals from around the world will gather in conclave to choose a new spiritual leader for the 1.4 billion-strong global church. The new pope will be the successor to Francis I, who died on April 21 at age 88 after a 12-year papacy. Here's everything you need to know about one of the world's longest-running electoral processes. The cardinals will soon elect a new pope. (AP) The cardinals have selected May 7 as the date to enter conclave, the Vatican announced last week. On that day, the cardinal electors will participate in a Eucharistic celebration known as the Mass Pro Eligendo Papa, at about 10am local time (6pm AEST May 7). Later in the day, they will then take an oath of secrecy before the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations proclaims "extra omnes," (meaning "Those who are extra, leave"). The moment will be the last time the cardinals are seen until the new pope is elected, which requires a two-thirds majority from the electors present. They are anticipated to file into the Sistine Chapel at around 4:45pm local time (12:45am AEST May 8). The voting will begin on May 7. (AP) The electors will be sequestered in the iconic Sistine Chapel, which was built in the 16th century. Most conclaves have historically been held in Rome, with some taking place outside the Vatican walls. On 15 occasions they took place outside Rome and the Vatican altogether, including in Viterbo, Perugia, Arezzo and Venice in Italy, and Konstanz, Germany, and Lyon, France. The conclave will take place in the famous Sistine Chapel. (Wikimedia Commons) The conclave is open to all cardinals under the age of 80, which means there will be 135 eligible to choose the next pope. However, two cardinals, Antonio Cañizares Llovera and Vinko Puljic have withdrawn, citing health reasons. Another cardinal, Giovanni Angelo Becciu – who had previously claimed he could participate in conclave even though he is listed by the Vatican as a "non-elector" – has also withdrawn his request to join the upcoming conclave. Monsignor Angelo Becciu has withdrawn his request to take part in the conclave. (AP) Becciu, once one of the most powerful figures in the Vatican, was ordered by Pope Francis in 2020 to resign the "rights and privileges" of a cardinal after he became embroiled in a Vatican financial scandal. Becciu was convicted by a Vatican court in 2023, but has appealed. About four-fifths of the cardinals who will elect the next pope were appointed by Francis. The new pope must receive at least two-thirds of the votes of the gathered cardinals. That means if 133 electors are involved, the next pope will need to receive at least 89 votes (two-thirds of 133 is about 88.67). There is a single ballot on the first day, followed by two ballots in the morning and the afternoon on subsequent days. After every ballot, a smoke signal will be sent from the Sistine Chapel's chimney - black smoke if no pope has been chosen, white smoke if one has. White smoke will signal the election of a new pope. (AP) As long as they need. The voting goes on until somebody is chosen, and the cardinals remain in seclusion (the word "conclave" is derived from a Latin phrase meaning "with a key", denoting the literally locked-up status of the electors during the process). Before 1274, there were times when a pope was elected the same day as the death of his predecessor. After that, however, the church decided to wait at least 10 days before the first vote. Later that was extended to 15 days to give all cardinals time to get to Rome. Clergy follow the funeral of Pope Francis in St Peter's Square at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) The quickest conclave observing the 10-day wait rule appears to have been the 1503 election of Pope Julius II, who was elected in just a few hours, according to Vatican historian Ambrogio Piazzoni. In more recent times, Pope Francis was elected in 2013 on the fifth ballot, Benedict XVI won in 2005 on the fourth and Pope Pius XII won on the third in 1939. In the 13th century, it took almost three years – 1006 days to be exact – to choose Pope Clement IV's successor, making it the longest conclave in the Catholic Church's history. There is no requirement that a pope be a cardinal, but that has been the case for centuries. The last time a pope was elected who wasn't a cardinal was Urban VI in 1378. He was a monk and archbishop of Bari. While the Italians have had a stranglehold on the papacy over centuries, there have been many exceptions aside from John Paul II (Polish) in 1978, and Benedict XVI (German) in 2005, and Francis (Argentine) in 2013. Alexander VI, elected in 1492, was Spanish; Gregory III, elected in 731, was Syrian; Adrian VI, elected in 1522, was from the Netherlands. With Associated Press, CNN. Catholic church Religion Pope Francis Pope rome VATICAN Italy Europe World CONTACT US Property News: The Perth suburbs where residents rarely leave.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
We need to work on being tactically smarter in key moments: Eric Simons
Stunning Twist To Pope Election; Cardinal Becciu Drops BOMBSHELL On Vatican | 'I Won't...' Disgraced Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu has formally renounced his right to participate in the upcoming conclave to elect the next Pope. Once seen as a powerful figure and even a papal contender, Becciu issued a public statement declaring he would 'obey the late Pope Francis' and not enter the conclave. Despite being under 80 and technically eligible, the Vatican has categorized him as a non-elector due to his conviction in a high-profile financial scandal. Becciu was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison after being found guilty of financial misconduct, ending his influential ecclesiastical career in disgrace.#pope #vatican #angelobecciu #popefrancis #vaticanconclave #cardinalbecciu 3.4K views | 1 day ago
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pak Air Force Sends UNUSUAL 'STRIKE FIRST' Message To India After IAF's Rafale Roar
Stunning Twist To Pope Election; Cardinal Becciu Drops BOMBSHELL On Vatican | 'I Won't...' Disgraced Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu has formally renounced his right to participate in the upcoming conclave to elect the next Pope. Once seen as a powerful figure and even a papal contender, Becciu issued a public statement declaring he would 'obey the late Pope Francis' and not enter the conclave. Despite being under 80 and technically eligible, the Vatican has categorized him as a non-elector due to his conviction in a high-profile financial scandal. Becciu was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison after being found guilty of financial misconduct, ending his influential ecclesiastical career in disgrace.#pope #vatican #angelobecciu #popefrancis #vaticanconclave #cardinalbecciu 3.4K views | 1 day ago
