The Vatican says Pope Francis has accepted U.S. cardinal Theodore McCarrick's offer to resign from the College of Cardinals.

A Saturday statement said Francis received the letter of resignation a day earlier by the former Washington, D.C. archbishop.

Besides agreeing to McCarrick's stepping down as a cardinal, Francis ordered him to conduct "a life of prayer and penance" until sex abuse accusations against him are examined in a Catholic church trial.

McCarrick has been removed from public ministry since June 20, pending a full investigation into allegations he fondled a teenager over 40 years ago in New York City.

A man, who was 11 at the time of the first alleged instance of abuse, says a sexually abusive relationship continued for two more decades. McCarrick has denied the allegation.