A central figure in what has been dubbed the Vatican’s “trial of the century,” Cardinal Angelo Becciu, announced on Tuesday that he will not take part in the forthcoming conclave to elect a new pope, citing his desire to act for the good of the church.
Becciu’s potential involvement had become a matter of intense speculation in the aftermath of Pope Francis’ death.
Though eligible by age to vote in the conclave scheduled for May 7, his participation was clouded by controversy due to his prior resignation and criminal conviction.
Despite having stated back in 2020 that he would abstain from any future papal elections, Becciu had recently affirmed his right to join the other cardinals in the Sistine Chapel.
But on Tuesday, the 76-year-old prelate issued a formal declaration via his legal team, “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.”
Once a powerful Vatican official and a serious contender for the papacy himself, Becciu’s downfall came in 2020 when Pope Francis dismissed him from his position as head of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and stripped him of his cardinal privileges amid financial misconduct allegations.
Although Becciu has consistently maintained his innocence, he was tried in the Vatican’s criminal court and found guilty in December 2023 on financial charges.
Sentenced to five and a half years in prison, he is currently appealing the judgment.
In the meantime, he has been attending pre-conclave sessions, including one as recently as Monday.
A protégé of Pope Benedict XVI, Becciu is closely associated with the conservative wing of the Vatican. His initial rapport with Pope Francis soured in the wake of his forced resignation, fueling speculation that he might support a papal candidate intent on reversing Francis’ reforms.
Although his age makes him technically eligible to vote, the Vatican lists Becciu as a “non-elector.”
The rules governing papal elections, laid out in the document Universi Dominici Gregis, specify that while cardinals under 80 may vote, those who have been “canonically deposed or who with the consent of the Roman Pontiff have renounced the cardinalate” are barred.
It also states that once a pope dies, the College of Cardinals has no authority to reinstate such individuals.
The exact terms of Becciu’s resignation remain unclear. The only official word came in a terse Vatican press release dated September 24, 2020, which stated that Pope Francis had accepted Becciu’s resignation “and his rights connected to the cardinalate.” No specific canonical penalties were mentioned.
According to a report by the Italian newspaper Domani, Becciu was recently shown two letters written by Pope Francis before his death, explicitly stating that Becciu should not participate in the conclave.
In his statement Tuesday, Becciu’s reference to “the will of Pope Francis” suggests those letters were decisive in shaping his decision.
Despite removing him from office, Pope Francis later made personal visits to Becciu and allowed him to remain engaged in Vatican life.
However, the pope also enacted legal reforms enabling the Vatican’s criminal court to prosecute Becciu.
Meanwhile, concerns persist regarding the fairness of the trial that convicted Becciu and eight co-defendants.
During the proceedings, it emerged that Pope Francis had intervened multiple times on the prosecutors’ behalf, and the court heard allegations that the main witness against Becciu had been improperly influenced by third parties.
