Vatican’s “Trial of the Century” resumes amid prosecutorial setbacks

The Vatican’s high-profile financial trial, involving Cardinal Angelo Becciu and eight other senior officials, resumed Tuesday after months of delays caused by major procedural setbacks and controversy over the chief prosecutor’s role. The trial, widely called the “trial of the century” , centres on a €350 million ($413 million) London property investment and has drawn international attention for its scale, high-profile defendants, and potential implications for Vatican governance.

The Vatican’s Court of Cassation recently upheld a lower court ruling throwing out the prosecutors’ appeal , citing a procedural flaw: the appeal lacked the specificity required by law. This means the prosecution can no longer pursue heavier sentences or attempt to prove a broader conspiracy. The appeals now focus solely on defense arguments, rather than prosecutorial claims.

Complicating the proceedings, Vatican chief prosecutor Alessandro Diddi resigned amid objections regarding his impartiality. Defense lawyers presented WhatsApp chats suggesting Diddi may have conducted a personal campaign against Becciu. Though he denied bias, Diddi recused himself to prevent further controversy. Had the court ruled against him, it could have led to a mistrial or nullification.

The defense is now challenging the trial’s fairness on multiple grounds. They highlighted four secret executive decrees signed by Pope Francis in 2019–2020 , granting investigators wide-ranging powers, including wiretapping and deviations from existing laws, without oversight or publication. Lawyers argue these secret measures violated the defendants’ right to a fair trial and created an unequal playing field. Defense teams also questioned whether the Pope’s supreme legislative, executive, and judicial authority compromised impartiality.

The original 2021 trial revealed that brokers and Vatican officials allegedly extracted tens of millions in fees and extorted €15 million ($16.5 million) from the Holy See in connection with the London property. Becciu was sentenced to 5 1⁄2 years in prison , while the other defendants were convicted on some charges and acquitted on others. The prosecution had originally tried to prove a grand conspiracy , but the court upheld only a limited set of serious charges.

Despite these controversies, the Vatican insists the trial was fair. The appeals court will now focus on defense arguments , including questions about procedural fairness, secret papal decrees, and the impartiality of investigators , making this one of the most significant and closely watched trials in Vatican history.