Becciu not only stepped down from his day-to-day position but also renounced his rights as a cardinal. The last time the pope levied a similar punishment was in 2015, when Cardinal Keith O’Brien of Scotland faced sexual misconduct accusations. 2 official in the Holy See’s powerful Secretariat of State, a position he held from 2011 to 2018, before Francis named him a cardinal. Becciu said the pope had received information about the case from Vatican prosecutors. But he had also been a central figure in behind-the-scenes intrigue, reportedly standing in the way of attempted revamping of the Vatican’s finances.

Source: Washington Post September 25, 2020 19:18 UTC