ROME — In a cryptic late night announcement, the Vatican on Thursday said Pope Francis had accepted the resignation of one of the church’s most powerful officials, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, a fixture of church intrigues and internal power plays who also lost his rights as a cardinal. Cardinal Becciu has denied any wrongdoing in the matter. The wording of the announcement suggested that Cardinal Becciu had lost his vote in the next conclave, when voting cardinals will pick the next pope from among their ranks. Cardinals ordinarily lose their right to vote in the conclave when they turn 80; Cardinal Becciu is 72. The statement did refer to him as “his eminence, cardinal,” however, suggesting he had retained his title.

Source: New York Times September 25, 2020 00:00 UTC