VATICAN CITY — Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, once a towering figure in the Vatican’s inner circle, has stepped back from the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope, a decision sparked by a handwritten letter from the late Pope Francis. The announcement, made on April 29, 2025, sent ripples through the Holy See, where Becciu’s fall from grace has been a slow-burning scandal.
Becciu, a 76-year-old Sardinian cleric, was convicted in 2023 for his role in a murky financial deal involving a €350 million London property investment gone wrong. The case, which saw Vatican funds funneled through shady brokers and offshore accounts, cost the Holy See millions and exposed a web of mismanagement. Becciu, stripped of most cardinal privileges but allowed to keep his title, faced a five-and-a-half-year sentence, though he’s been free while appealing. His name became synonymous with the Vatican’s struggle to clean up its financial house.
The cardinal’s withdrawal came after he was shown two letters, penned by Pope Francis before his death. The documents, described as explicit in their intent, barred Becciu from participating in the conclave set to begin on May 7. Vatican insiders say the letters were a final act by Francis to ensure the disgraced cardinal wouldn’t influence the selection of his successor. Becciu, in a statement released through Vatican channels, said he would “obey the will” of the late pontiff, stepping aside without a fight.
The conclave, a secretive gathering of cardinals under 80, is tasked with choosing the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. Becciu’s absence narrows the field but doesn’t shift the math significantly—120 cardinals are still eligible to vote. Yet the move underscores the Vatican’s ongoing reckoning with its past, where power and piety often clashed behind closed doors.
Becciu’s exit isn’t just procedural. It’s a stark reminder of a pontificate that wrestled with reform while battling entrenched interests. The London deal, which involved a former Harrods warehouse turned luxury flats, was just one piece of a broader probe into Vatican finances. Becciu, once a trusted aide to Francis, was accused of funneling €700,000 to a brother’s charity and hiring a consultant with ties to Italian intelligence. He’s denied all charges, claiming he’s a scapegoat for a dysfunctional system.
The cardinal’s statement was brief, almost curt. He expressed no regret, only compliance, and retreated from the spotlight. Meanwhile, the Vatican presses forward, preparing for a conclave under the shadow of a scandal that refuses to fade.
The conclave begins in eight days. Becciu will not be there.