Convicted cardinal demands to be part of conclave to choose new pope, setting up Vatican standoff

[Eugene]

Source: CNN

Convicted cardinal demands to be part of conclave to choose new pope, setting up Vatican standoff

By Christopher Lamb and Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN
2 minute read
Published 10:13 AM EDT, Wed April 23, 2025

Rome (CNN) — A cardinal convicted of financial crimes by the Vatican is claiming he can take part in the forthcoming conclave despite being listed as a “non-elector.”

Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, once one of the most powerful figures in the Vatican, was ordered by Pope Francis in 2020 to resign the “rights and privileges” of a cardinal after he became embroiled in a Vatican financial scandal.

The Sardinian cardinal previously held the position of “sostituto” (“substitute”) in the Holy See’s Secretariat of State - a papal chief of staff equivalent.

The role offered Becciu walk-in privileges to see the pope and he commanded huge authority across the church’s central government. He was later moved to a position running the Vatican’s saint-making department.

Becciu was convicted of embezzlement and fraud in 2023 ...

-snip-

Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/23/europe/cardinal-becciu-conclave-controversy-intl/index.html

[Scrivener7]

1. Catholic trump.

[underpants]

2. I didn't know there's an age limit. Due to travel?

Only cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed to vote in a papal election. As it currently stands, there are 135 eligible cardinals who will participate in conclave. Becciu is 76 and still eligible when it comes to his age.

[regnaD kciN]

3. Not due to age...

…as they can still show up at the conclave and debate the choices, but not vote.

It was a change made sometime in the last half-century, because there were a large bloc of elderly, long-retired cardinals, most with pre-Vatican II views, that had the power to swing the result.

[underpants]

4. Ah. Thanks.

I think it’s funny that they have a “saint-making department”. So that’s where they come from.