Cardinal Becciu declines to participate in Conclave, following late Pope's wishes

Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu announced that he will not take part in the conclave scheduled to begin on May 7 to elect the new Pope.

In a published statement, the Italian cleric emphasized that he made this decision in obedience to the wishes of the late Pope Francis.

Becciu noted that he maintains his belief in his innocence but wishes to preserve harmony and peace within the Church. He stated that his decision to forgo voting was driven by the desire not to interfere with the process and to continue serving the Church with fidelity and love.

In the past, the cardinal was at the center of a financial scandal, although this was not directly mentioned in the statement. His voluntary decision is seen as an act of loyalty to the Church hierarchy and unity.

It should be recalled that the Vatican court found 75-year-old Cardinal Angelo Becciu guilty of embezzlement of Church funds and sentenced him to over five years in prison, as reported by the National Catholic Register.

Becciu was also permanently barred from holding public office and ordered to pay a fine of 8,000 euros.

A native of Sardinia, Becciu served for many years in the Holy See’s diplomatic missions in Africa, Oceania, Europe, and the United States.

He was appointed bishop and apostolic nuncio during the pontificate of John Paul II and later worked at the Vatican in the third-highest-ranking position. His conviction marked the first such case since 1929.

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Pope Francis passed away on the morning of April 21 at 7:35 a.m. at the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican. He was 88 years old.

The death of the pontiff was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell. Francis had led the Catholic Church since 2013 as the first Pope from Latin America and from the Jesuit order.

He was known for his commitment to Gospel values, advocacy for the poor and migrants, and efforts toward interfaith dialogue and internal Church reforms.