The college of cardinals also shared its gratitude to government and civil leaders for their 'solidarity' with the Church during its time of mourning.

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.

At 76, Cardinal Angelo Becciu is under the age limit of 80 and technically eligible to vote, but the Vatican’s official statistics list him as a “non-elector.”