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Cardinal Pell: "Nothing More Painful" for Victims of Sexual Abuse
Photo: Francesco Pistilli / KNA
After the death of Australian Cardinal George Pell, there will be no state funeral for the controversial churchman in his home country.
This possibility is "clearly" ruled out, said Prime Minister of the State of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, on Thursday.
Andrews said he couldn't imagine "anything more painful" for victims of sexual abuse than such a state funeral.
At the same time, he expressed his condolences to Pell's family, colleagues and friends.
According to the Vatican's own media portal "Vatican News", Pell had suffered a cardiac arrest during a hip operation.
Senior minister convicted of child molestation
The cleric, who died in Rome on Tuesday at the age of 81, was number three in the Vatican for years under Francis.
He was the highest-ranking minister in the history of the Catholic Church to be convicted of child molestation.
The case for which Pell was being tried in his home country dates back to 1996-97, when he had just become Archbishop of Melbourne.
After a service, he allegedly assaulted two choirboys who were 13 at the time: he exposed himself, touched them indecently and forced one of them to perform oral sex.
Pell had denied the allegations.
He was sentenced in 2019
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But in April 2020, Australia's highest court granted Pell's appeal for lack of evidence.
The defense had pointed out weaknesses in witness testimony.
Pell was released after 13 months.
A few months after his release he returned to the Vatican.
Pope Francis praised Pell's "stamina" in prison
Cardinal Pell was not only archbishop of Melbourne but also of Sydney, the capital of the neighboring region of New South Wales.
A state funeral is ruled out in both states, the Australian news agency AAP reported.
The body is to be flown from Rome to Australia in the next few days.
A funeral mass is reportedly planned at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney.
Pell will then be buried in the crypt of the church.
Pope Francis has now praised the cardinal posthumously for his perseverance during his imprisonment.
The father of a former choir boy, who has since died and who accused Pell of sexual abuse, plans to continue taking civil action against the Catholic Church after the cardinal's death.
lmd/dpa