Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon, one of France's most senior Catholic clergymen, said on Tuesday that the pope rejected his resignation following his conviction in a sex abuse-related case.

Barbarin was sentenced earlier this month to a six-month suspended jail term for covering up the sexual abuse of minors by his subordinates. He denied any wrongdoing and is appealing the conviction.

Pope Francis cited the presumption of innocence for rejecting Barbarin's resignation, according to a statement by the cardinal's diocese in the French city of Lyon.

"Monday morning, I handed over my mission to the Holy Father. He spoke of the presumption of innocence and did not accept this resignation," Barbarin said in a statement.

Barbarin's deputy, the Rev. Yves Baumgarten, would assume leadership of the archdiocese on a temporary basis.

Read more: Vatican promises to crack down on sexual abuse

8 films portraying Catholic Church sex abuse 'By the Grace of God' (2019) Francois Ozon's Berlinale entry focuses on the true story of a group of sex abuse victims who've formed an association to break the silence, years after they were molested by a priest in Lyon. The father's widespread abuse was known by his diocese's cardinal and even the Vatican. The actual Cardinal Barbarin, who attempted to cover up the case, is now on trial and could end up in prison.

8 films portraying Catholic Church sex abuse 'Spotlight' (2016) Based on a true story, this biographical drama directed by Tom McCarthy follows a team of reporters from "The Boston Globe" as they uncover systemic child sex abuse by Catholic priests in their city. "Spotlight" garnered six Oscar nominations and won for best picture and best screenplay. The actual investigation also earned a Pulitzer Prize in 2003.

8 films portraying Catholic Church sex abuse 'The Club' (2015) Dark images, silhouetted actors shown out of focus: It's the cinematography of a horror film. Chilean director Pablo Larrain tackled an explosive topic in "The Club," in which four retired Catholic priests live in a secluded house and there "purge" horrible crimes, including child sex abuse. Larrain was inspired by true stories of high-level priests who live in hiding to avoid criminal charges.

8 films portraying Catholic Church sex abuse 'Verfehlung' (2015) The German film "Verfehlung" (Misconduct) by Gerd Schneider depicts how the friendship of three priests is affected by a sex abuse scandal. One of them is accused of molesting teenage boys, and the two others react to their friend's situation in different ways. The way they deal with the truth could impact not only their relationship, but also their career in the ranks of the Church.

8 films portraying Catholic Church sex abuse 'Philomena' (2013) With "Philomena," Stephen Frears deals with another aspect of the Church's institutional abuse: women who were forcibly separated from their children born out of wedlock. The film is based on the true story of Philomena Lee, whose son was taken away by the nuns at the convent where she was forced to work and sold to wealthy Americans. Actress Judi Dench portrayed the older Philomena.

8 films portraying Catholic Church sex abuse 'Bad Education' (2004) While Pedro Almodovar's drama "Bad Education" is a stylized murder mystery playing on different levels of metafiction, it also tells the story of a young boy being molested by a Catholic priest in his boarding school. Ignacio, the abused child, is later a transgender woman who confronts the abusive father and blackmails him.

8 films portraying Catholic Church sex abuse 'The Magdalene Sisters' (2002) The Magdalene Asylums, also known as Magdalene laundries, were Catholic Church institutions that served as a reformatory for women labelled as "fallen." Peter Mullan's 2002 drama portrays one such home, telling the story of four young women who were sent there by their families, or caretakers, and who faced extreme cruelty and abuse by nuns. The last such institution closed in 1996.

8 films portraying Catholic Church sex abuse 'Primal Fear' (1996) A 19-year-old altar boy (Edward Norton, in his Oscar-nominated film debut) is accused of brutally murdering an influential Catholic Archbishop. An ambitious defense lawyer (Richard Gere) takes on his case. In the course of the trial, it is revealed that the beloved archbishop had abusive tendencies and had forced altar boys into sex. Author: Heike Mund, Elizabeth Grenier



How we got here

Catholic priest Bernard Preynat admitted to abusing boy scouts during the 1980s and early '90s. Barbarin and five former aides in Lyon were accused of covering up the abuse. A victims' association bypassed the prosecutor's office and insisted the case go before a court, which is allowed in France. Barbarin and his co-defendants argued they did not know about the abuse until it became public.

In a similar case in Australia last year, the pope accepted the resignation of Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson after he was convicted of covering up abuse. Wilson appealed successfully, but had already been replaced by the time he won in court.

A film about the abuse case, "By the Grace of God," won the Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival last month.

Read more: France's top cardinal guilty of sex abuse cover-up

Germany's most beautiful churches Cologne Cathedral It's not that easy to capture the twin spires of this symbol of Cologne in one picture. At a height of 157 meters (515 ft), Cologne Cathedral is the world's third-tallest church. It took more than 500 years to build, but it was worth it. This magnificent Gothic structure is one of the most popular sights in Germany.

Germany's most beautiful churches Frauenkirche, Dresden A cupola that weighs tons but still seems to float: the Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady, in Dresden was rebuilt with donations from around the world after it was destroyed in World War II. Just as it did when it was first opened in 1743, it is once again part of the skyline of the Baroque city on the River Elbe.

Germany's most beautiful churches Hamburg's “Michel” The distinctive steeple with the copper top has pointed mariners the way up the Elbe to Hamburg since the 17th century. St. Michael's Church, which the locals simply call “Michel,” is considered the most beautiful Baroque church in northern Germany.

Germany's most beautiful churches Ulm Minster Small city, big church! At a height of 161.5 meters (530 ft), Ulm Minster's tower is the tallest in the world. Visitors have to be in good shape to climb the 768 steps to the observation platform. They'll be rewarded with a view that, in good weather, reaches all the way to the Alps.

Germany's most beautiful churches Gedächtniskirche Berlin The old church tower is a reminder of the destruction in World War II, the new tower a reminder of the exertions of rebuilding. “Lipstick and powder compact” — that's the nickname Berliners gave the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church when it was reconsecrated in 1961. It's now one of the landmarks in the western part of central Berlin.

Germany's most beautiful churches Aachen Cathedral Charlemagne laid the foundation stone for the cathedral in 800 AD and made it the heart of his empire. As the place where German kings were once crowned, it is one of the most important churches in the Western world. In 1978, Aachen Cathedral was the first building in Germany to be made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Germany's most beautiful churches Frauenkirche, Munich Munich's Frauenkirche, the Cathedral of Our Blessed Lady, stands in the heart of the Bavarian city and can be seen from far away. No neighboring building is allowed to be more than 100 meters (328 ft) in height, so that Munich's skyline remains intact. The church's distinctive towers with their bulbous domes are modeled on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.

Germany's most beautiful churches Nikolaikirche, Leipzig Palm-topped columns adorn the interior of St. Nicholas Church in Leipzig, but there is also a column in front of it, to commemorate the Peaceful Revolution in autumn 1989. At the time, the Nikolaikirche was the starting point for the Leipzig Monday demonstrations that heralded the end of East Germany (GDR) and the division of Germany.

Germany's most beautiful churches Hildesheim Cathedral Hildesheim in Lower Saxony is home to some 40 churches. The Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary is 1,200 years old and a jewel of Romanesque architecture. What is known as the “Thousand-Year Rose” grows in the courtyard of its cloisters. Researchers now think it may be a mere 700 years old, but with dimensions like these, who would bother to be so petty?

Germany's most beautiful churches The Basilica of Birnau A Baroque gem on the shores of Lake Constance: The exterior of the church is fairly simple, but inside, its full splendor is revealed, with countless sculpted figures of angels, ceiling frescoes and opulent ornamentation. Incidentally, the tower clock dates from 1750 and is the oldest working clock in Germany.

Germany's most beautiful churches Erfurt Cathedral Hill To the left, St. Mary's Cathedral and to the right, the Church of St. Severus: This imposing ensemble rises over Erfurt's Old Town. Perhaps the residents of Erfurt were especially devout, or had too much money. In any case, the result is impressive: two examples of the finest Gothic architecture right next to each other. Author: Kerstin Schmidt (ms)



kw/msh (AP, AFP, dpa)

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