Cardinal Becciu Bows Out of Papal Election Amid Legal Turmoil

Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, previously a powerful figure within the Vatican hierarchy, has announced he will not participate in the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope. Becciu, who was convicted of financial crimes by the Vatican’s criminal court, issued a statement Tuesday declaring his withdrawal from the secretive voting process. Despite asserting his innocence, he said he would respect Pope Francis’ wishes, stating, “I have decided to obey, as I have always done, Pope Francis’ will not to enter the Conclave.”

Becciu’s removal from the privileges of a cardinal dates back to 2020, when Pope Francis demanded his resignation amid a financial scandal. At the time, he was accused of involvement in embezzlement and other financial misconduct. Though he was later convicted and sentenced in 2023 to five and a half years in prison, Becciu remains in the Vatican and has appealed the decision, with his case still pending review.

Just a week prior to his formal withdrawal, Becciu had voiced optimism about his participation in the conclave, telling a local Sardinian newspaper that there had been no official directive barring him. His statement suggested a belief that he still had a legitimate right to join the papal election process. However, this optimism gave way to his recent announcement in which he reaffirmed his loyalty to the pope’s judgment.

The conclave to elect the next pope has been scheduled for May 7, following the death of the sitting pope last week. The event is a deeply significant moment for the global Catholic Church, with 1.4 billion followers awaiting the decision of the College of Cardinals. Becciu’s absence from the gathering removes a figure who was once deeply embedded in Vatican politics and governance.

Before his legal downfall, Becciu held the influential post of “sostituto” within the Secretariat of State, effectively serving as the pope’s chief of staff. His position gave him unparalleled access to the pope and major sway over internal Vatican operations. He was later reassigned to oversee the department responsible for canonizing saints—a role from which he was ultimately distanced following the financial scandal.