Cardinals gather in Vatican as world mourns Pope Francis
On Tuesday in the Vatican, the first congregation of cardinals convened following the death of Pope Francis. A video published on social media shows Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu participating in the congregation. In 2023, he was sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
What you need to know?
- Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Domus Santa Marta.
- Funeral ceremonies for Pope Francis are scheduled to begin on Saturday at 10 AM in St. Peter's Square.
- On Tuesday, during the general congregation of cardinals following 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 commenced in the Vatican, marking their assembly. The primary aim of these consultations is to decide on the next steps during the vacancy of the Holy See.
Congregations in the Synod Hall were organized 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 not participating in the conclave, can attend the meetings.
"The first general congregation of cardinals following the death of Pope Francis" was announced on the X Vatican News PL platform, along with the published video. Meanwhile, Father Mateusz Markiewicz noted that Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu appeared in the video, despite being 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, marking the first time in modern history that a cardinal was sentenced to prison. He was convicted of embezzlement and abuse of office. Along with him, nine others, including financiers and employees of the Secretariat of State, were tried in the Vatican.
The case involving 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 associated with his cardinal dignity. Becciu retained the title of cardinal but cannot exercise any associated rights.
