Court dismisses Becciu's lawsuit against Italian magazine (Pillar)

Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu oversaw the internal affairs of the Roman Curia as Substitute (Sostituto) of the Secretariat of State from 2011 to 2018. Pope Francis created him a cardinal in the 2018 consistory and named him Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. In 2020, Becciu resigned from the “rights connected to the cardinalate.”

Becciu then filed a lawsuit against L’Espresso, alleging that its coverage “contributed unfairly to the Pope’s decision to fire Becciu, damaged his reputation, and cost Becciu the chance of being elected Pope in a future conclave.” A court has dismissed the lawsuit and ordered Becciu to pay the magazine’s legal costs.