Cardinal Becciu Steps Aside From Papal Conclave Amid Ongoing Controversy.
Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a once-powerful figure within the Vatican, has confirmed he will not participate in the upcoming papal conclave on 7 May, citing the “will of Pope Francis” and the greater good of the Church.
The 76-year-old Italian prelate, who was convicted of fraud and embezzlement by a Vatican tribunal in 2023, stated through his lawyer on Tuesday that he would not enter the Sistine Chapel to cast a vote for the next pope. Despite continuing to maintain his innocence and appealing the conviction, Cardinal Becciu said he would respect Pope Francis’ desire, even as questions over his eligibility lingered.
“For the good of the Church,” Becciu said, “I vow to obey the will of Pope Francis to not enter into the conclave, even though I remain convinced of my innocence.”
The decision ends weeks of uncertainty and speculation that had threatened to overshadow the start of the papal election following Pope Francis’ death last week. Becciu, who flew to Rome from his native Sardinia to attend pre-conclave meetings, had insisted that he still held the right to vote, claiming the pope had never officially revoked this privilege.
The Vatican had previously indicated, in a 2020 statement, that Pope Francis had removed Becciu’s “rights connected to the cardinalate” following his resignation from senior posts in the wake of the financial scandal. At the time, Becciu accepted that voting in a conclave was among the rights forfeited. However, he later suggested that Pope Francis had reconsidered, reportedly telling him earlier this year, “I think I have found a solution.”
Despite this, the official Vatican register still lists Becciu as a “non-elector,” a designation he has dismissed as lacking legal weight.
The controversy sparked intense debate within Church circles and media speculation about whether Becciu’s inclusion could cast doubt over the legitimacy of the conclave’s outcome. Some conservative voices warned that barring Becciu could delegitimise the election altogether, particularly in a conclave expected to be dominated by cardinals appointed by Francis himself.
Ultimately, Becciu’s decision to voluntarily withdraw appears to have eased tensions within the Vatican. His absence avoids a potentially divisive confrontation and ensures that the conclave — a sacred and tightly choreographed tradition — will proceed without disruption.
Cardinal Becciu, who once served as the Pope’s chief of staff and led the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, continues to defend his legacy. Yet, as the College of Cardinals gathers to choose the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, he will remain on the sidelines — a symbol of both scandal and self-restraint in one of the Church’s most consequential moments.
