Claudio Peri / EPA
Italian Cardinal Angelo Becci, convicted in the first instance to five and a half years in prison for involvement in financial scandals in the Vatican, insists that he has the right to participate in the conclave that will elect the new Pope.
At the age of 76, Becciu was appointed Cardinal by Francisco himself, but fell into disgrace due to allegations of misuse of the Holy See at the time when he was “number 2” in the powerful Secretariat of State.
Becciu was implied in one that involves real estate business in London, in which the headquarters of the Catholic Church lost millions of euros in intermediaries paid commissions.
Becciu was sued by irregularities in the purchase of a building in London with resources from the Óbolo de São Pedro (Donation System of Donations of the Catholic Church used for charitable works, not for speculative investments), and in donations for a charity project administered by a brother.
In September 2020, the Pope of the position of mayor of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints and revoked the rights associated with cardinalato, including vote in Conclaves. In December 2023, Becciu was convicted at the Vatican to five and a half years in prison by embezzlement.
Of course Francisco will have left two letters written, revealed this Friday by the newspaper, in which it expresses the Determination to exclude the Italian cardinal of a possible conclave.
According to the agency, The letters will have been shown to Becciu This week by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolinone of the favorites of Francisco’s scholarships.
Both letters were written by hand and signed by the Pope only with an “F”. One is dated 2023, and the other last March, when Jorge Bergoglio was due to pneumonia.
In addition, says Domani, Francisco would have expressed your desire to exclude Berry do conclave to Cardinal Kevin FarrellCamelngo of the Catholic Church, that is, the responsible for the Vatican in the “Vacant Headquarters” period.
The banned cardinal, who is in freedom while awaiting the appeal of the conviction, However, it requires being able to vote NO CONCLAVE that will elect the new Pope. Speaking to, Becciu Denies all accusations and considers that it must be authorized to participate in the conclave.
According to the Church Law, the cardinals under 80 can enter the sistine chapel for a Secret Conclavewhere they vote “under the severe gaze of God,” represented in Michelangelo’s fresco of the final judgment behind the high altar.
Nearly 135 cardinals are currently eligible to participate. On your website, the Vatican List Becciu, 76, as a “non -voter”joining him to those who reached the age of 80.
Ao, the main newspaper of its Christmas island, Sardinia, Becciu says that the List of non -eligible cardinals “has no legal value”that there was “no explicit will” to prevent him from participating in the conclave and has never been asked to formally resign to writing privilege.
Bleed já declarou to print you No one can prevent you to exercise your right to vote in the conclave because There are no written documents that prevent it.
Becciu states that his status has changed since the night of 2020 in which the Pope punished him. Between the moment of his dismissal and the end of the trial, Becciu had several meetings with the Pope, including a mass in the private chapel of the cardinal.
In the conversation with Reuters, Becciu confirmed the comments he made to the newspaper and added that believed the Pope was close to making a decision about your statute. The cardinal refers to a conversation with the Pope, in which Francis said that “I think I found a solutiono”.
Before the beginning of the conclave, all cardinals, regardless of age, participate in daily meetings known as general congregationswhere they discuss mainly the daily affairs of the Roman Catholic Church. Most did not talk to journalists or refused to discuss Becciu’s issue.
“It will be my cardinal brothers to decide“, Says the cardinal, referring to all About 250 prelates, including voters and non -voterswhich will participate in the general congregations before the conclave.
