Disgraced cardinal pulls out of conclave after ‘receiving letters’ from late Pope Francis

A cardinal has pulled out of the conclave to choose the next pope per the wishes of the late Pope Francis.

Following the death of Francis on Easter Monday, his funeral was held last week, which saw the likes of President Donald Trump and other world leaders attend.

The Catholic Church has since entered a period known as sede vacante, and is preparing for a papal conclave to elect his successor, which is scheduled to begin on May 7, 2025.

A number of cardinals are seen as likely candidates in the upcoming papal conclave, and in the modern era, becoming a cardinal is usually the prerequisite for becoming a pope.

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

However, Cardinal Angelo Becciu has withdrawn from the papal conclave.

Once a powerful official in the Vatican, he was convicted of embezzlement by the Vatican’s criminal court in 2023.

Initially, the 76-year-old insisted he should be able to participate in the selection process despite his previous conviction. However, he reportedly received letters from the late Pope Francis advising him against taking part.

Since he’s under the age of 80, Becciu would have otherwise been eligible to vote.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu has withdrawn from the papal conclave (TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)

While complying with the wishes of Pope Francis, Becciu - who is a longtime Vatican diplomat - maintains his innocence. In recent days, he insisted he was still entitled to vote in the conclave.

However, he officially withdrew on Tuesday after being presented with the two letters - which have not been made public - written by Pope Francis before his death.

He released a statement through his lawyer, Fabio Viglione, which read: “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.”

In 2020, Pope Francis asked Cardinal Angelo Becciu to resign from his position after allegations emerged that he had misused Vatican funds, including sending money to a charity linked to his brother in Sardinia.

Pope Francis asked Cardinal Angelo Becciu to resign from his position in 2020 (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

At the time, Becciu was serving as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Becciu obliged to Francis' request and resigned.

While we wait to find out who is chosen to be the next pope, there's almost as much drama depicted in a thriller, released just six months ago, that reveals what happens during the highly secretive process, that dates back many centuries in the Catholic faith.

Conclave - starring the likes of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow - documents the process of choosing a new pope, but many have questioned exactly how accurate a depiction it is. You can read more about the film here.