Giovanni Angelo Becciu

His Eminence

Giovanni Angelo Becciu
Cardinal-Deacon of San Lino
Becciu in 2018
ChurchCatholic Church
Appointed28 June 2018
Installed20 January 2019
PredecessorGiovanni Coppa
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination27 August 1972
by Francesco Cogoni
Consecration1 December 2001
by Angelo Sodano
Created cardinal28 June 2018
by Pope Francis
RankCardinal deacon
Personal details
Born
Giovanni Angelo Becciu

(1948-06-02) 2 June 1948 (age 76)
Pattada, Sardinia, Italy
DenominationRoman Catholic
Alma materPontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
MottoCustos sanctitatis charitas
Coat of armsGiovanni Angelo Becciu's coat of arms
Ordination history
History
Priestly ordination
Ordained byFrancesco Cogoni
Date27 August 1972
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorAngelo Cardinal Sodano
Co-consecratorsPaolo Cardinal Romeo, and Sebastiano Sanguinetti
Date1 December 2011
PlaceAnfiteatro 2001, Pattada, Diocese of Ozieri, Italy
Cardinalate
Elevated byPope Francis
Date21 June 2018
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Giovanni Angelo Becciu as principal consecrator
Almeida Kanda (Canda)23 October 2005
Mateus Feliciano Augusto Tomás21 June 2009
Antonio Mura25 March 2014
Corrado Melis13 September 2015
Styles of
Giovanni Angelo Becciu
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal

Giovanni Angelo Becciu (born 2 June 1948) is an Italian Catholic prelate who served as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints from 2018 until his resignation under duress in 2020. Pope Francis made him a cardinal in 2018. On 24 September 2020, he resigned the rights associated with the cardinalate.

An archbishop since 2001, he held several appointments in the diplomatic service of the Holy See between 1984 and 2011, including those of Apostolic Nuncio to Angola and to Cuba. From 2011 to 2018 he was Substitute for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State, a key position in the Roman Curia. He was head of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints from 2018 to 2020, when he resigned after being implicated in a financial corruption scandal. He retains the title of cardinal.[1][2][3]

In July 2021, a Vatican judge ordered Becciu and nine others to stand trial on charges of embezzlement, abuse of office and subornation. The charges are in connection with an investment in London real estate. Becciu said he was innocent and "the victim of a conspiracy". Becciu's trial is the first criminal trial of a cardinal in a Vatican court.[4][5][6] He was convicted in the Vatican in December 2023 and sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison.[7][8][9]

  1. ^ Poggioli, Sylvia (14 October 2020). "'You Cannot Serve Both God And Money': Vatican's Financial Scandal Takes New Twist". NPR. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference associatearrest was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference becciuresign was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference trialunderway was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Francis X. Rocca, Vatican Indicts Cardinal, Nine Other People Over London Real-Estate Deal, Wall Street Journal (July 3, 2021).
  6. ^ "Vatican embezzlement trial: Cardinal Angelo Becciu among 10 charged". BBC News. 3 July 2021.
  7. ^ Winfield, Nicole (17 December 2023). "A Cardinal is convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to 5½ years in a major Vatican financial trial". Associated Press. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  8. ^ Ghiglione, David; Lowen, Mark (16 December 2023). "Cardinal Becciu: Vatican court convicts former Pope adviser of financial crimes". BBC. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  9. ^ Povoledo, Elisabetta (16 December 2023). "Cardinal at Center of Vatican Corruption Trial Is Sentenced to 5 and a Half Years". New York Times. Retrieved 17 December 2023.