Pope Francis prayed on Wednesday for the late Australian Cardinal George Pell, saying he kept his faith despite the test.
Pell, who died Tuesday in Rome at the age of 81, was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church who was convicted and later acquitted of sexual abuse in Australia.
In a telegram to the dean of the College of Cardinals, Francis paid tribute to Pell “a faithful witness, devoted to the Gospel and to the Church”.
He noted especially his work with the Holy See in the context of the new economic reforms, which “he laid the foundations with determination and wisdom”.
He prayed that Pell, “this faithful servant, who unwaveringly followed his Lord with determination even in times of trial, would be received with joy in heaven and receive the reward of eternal peace”.
From humble beginnings in the Australian outback, Pell rose through the ranks to become one of Francis’ most trusted advisers at the Vatican.
He was also the highest-profile Catholic to be jailed for child sexual abuse before his conviction was overturned on appeal.
Former conservative Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, a friend who visited Pell in prison, said the cardinal’s name had been tarnished by the “horrific allegations”.