(Bloomberg) -- Pope Francis accepted the resignation of an influential Church cardinal who was linked to a financial scandal that has tainted the Vatican.
In an unexpected and terse statement late on Thursday, the Vatican said Angelo Becciu quit as head of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. But the most significant move was the renouncing of the rights associated with his status as cardinal.
The statement did not give a reason for the move. Cardinals are rarely stripped, or give up, their title. The last one was American Theodore McCarrick in 2018 amid a sexual abuse investigation.
Becciu previously served as chief of staff in the Vatican's secretariat of state and has been linked to an investigation into the Vatican's investment in a London real estate deal that saw the city-state lose funds in fees paid to middlemen.
The Vatican prosecutor has placed several Vatican officials under investigation, as well as the middlemen, but not Becciu.
Becciu has denied any wrongdoing.
Francis, who placed humility at the core of his papacy, has sought to clean up Vatican finances and ensure transparency.
Becciu's resignation comes ahead of a high-profile visit to Rome expected next week by U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, who is due to meet the Pope at the Vatican.
Pompeo posted a tweet on Saturday against the Vatican's plan to renew a historic agreement with China on the appointment of bishops: “The Vatican endangers its moral authority should it renew the deal.”
The Vatican is close to renewing the agreement, as the two states inch toward restoring diplomatic relations after almost 70 years, Bloomberg reported on Sept. 9.
The accord, first signed in September 2018, is due to be rolled over, possibly for another two years in the coming weeks, according to two people familiar with the matter who declined to be named discussing confidential talks.
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