Christian cleric Louis Sako received a strongly worded warning from the Vatican regarding his alleged promotion of his candidacy to succeed Pope Francis.

Church sources confirmed to Al-Awla that Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin sent a letter to Sako, giving him the choice to either cease promoting himself as the Middle East’s candidate for the papacy or face permanent exclusion from the College of Cardinals.

According to sources, following this warning, Sako responded through a media outlet, clarifying that he is not a candidate for the position of Pope and emphasizing that the election and selection process does not occur through promotional campaigns.