The Vatican said that Francis had stripped a convicted cardinal, Angelo Becciu, of his right to vote for the next pope. Cardinal Becciu maintains his innocence but said he would sit this one out.

Catholic cardinals on Monday set May 7 as the start date for the conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor, delaying the secret voting for two days to help them get to know one another better and find consensus on a candidate before they are sequestered in the Sistine Chapel.

The Italian cardinal at the heart of the Vatican’s “trial of the century” announced Tuesday he was withdrawing from participating in the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope.