Cardinals convene to chart future as Vatican mourns Pope Francis
On Tuesday in the Vatican, the first congregation of cardinals took place following the death of Pope Francis. Meanwhile, as a video published on social media reveals, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu participated in it. In 2023, he was sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
What do you need to know?
- Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88 in his residence at the Vatican's Domus Santa Marta.
- The funeral ceremonies for Pope Francis are scheduled to begin on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter's Square.
- On Tuesday, during the general congregation of cardinals after Francis's death, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was sentenced in 2023 to five years and six months in prison, appeared.
On Tuesday morning, the first congregation of cardinals following the death of Pope Francis convened in the Vatican. The main aim of such consultations is to decide on the next steps during the period when the Holy See is vacant.
Congregations in the Synod Hall were convened by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
He explained in a letter to the cardinals that both electors, who are under 80 years old, and those who will not participate in the conclave, can attend the meetings.
"The first general congregation of cardinals following the death of Pope Francis" - announced on the X Vatican News PL platform, publishing the video. Meanwhile, as noted by Father Mateusz Markiewicz, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu appeared in the video. He was sentenced in 2023 to five years and six months in prison.
"Cardinal Becciu at the general congregation. I have to admit, this is a surprise to me," wrote Father Markiewicz, later clarifying that "he has resigned from the rights of the cardinalate."
"Trial of the century." Cardinal Becciu was sentenced
The former deputy secretary of state of the Holy See, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison - this was the first time in modern history that a cardinal was sentenced to prison. He was convicted for embezzlement and abuse of office. Along with him, nine other individuals, including financiers and Secretariat of State employees, were tried in the Vatican.
The case concerning financial irregularities in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See was dubbed by the media as "the trial of the century."
Earlier, in 2020, Pope Francis accepted his resignation from the position of prefect and from all the privileges corresponding to his cardinal dignity - Becciu retained the title of cardinal but cannot exercise any rights associated with it.
