Pope Francis rejected the resignation of French cardinal Philippe Barbarin, found guilty of concealing child abuse

The dad Francisco rejected the cardinal's resignation Philippe Barbarin invoke the "presumption of innocence"announced Tuesday the French prelate in a statement, stating that will retire "from the time" of the Diocese of Lyon (eastern center of France).

"On Monday morning, I placed my mission in the hands of the Holy Father. Relying on the presumption of innocence, he would not accept my resignation"announced Barbarin, who will remain archbishop of Lyon, but who will leave the daily direction of the current vicar general Yves Baumgarten.

The pontiff received Barbarin after announcing that he would submit his resignation after being sentenced in France for having Sexual abuse under minors' coverage of a priest of his diocese.

Barbarin, 68 years old and head of the archdiocese of Lyon for 17 years, was convicted on March 7th and the same day, he argued that he would go to the Vatican to submit his resignation to the pope, without however saying he would also ask to be excluded from the College of Cardinals.

The cardinal sat on the bench in January with other ecclesiastical accusations accused of do not report abuses committed against minors for 25 years by priest Bernard Preynat.

In addition to the prison sentence, to which Barbarin should be subject only in case of recidivism, he will have to pay a symbolic allowance of one euro to eight victims of Preynat who denounced him. The cardinal has already announced that he will appeal the sentence.