Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of the Church in Scotland, was under mounting pressure to stand aside from taking part in the vote next month to elect Benedict XVI's successor.
The pope was on Sunday personally investigating claims that Britain's most senior Roman Catholic was involved in "inappropriate" acts with priests.
Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of the Church in Scotland, was under mounting pressure to stand aside from taking part in the vote next month to elect Benedict XVI's successor.
Yesterday senior Church leaders acknowledged doubts over his participation in the forthcoming Conclave in Rome but insisted the decision was in his hands.
The claims overshadowed the Pope's last Sunday appearance in Rome before he becomes the first pontiff in 600 years to step down later this week.
Vatican officials have been attempting to dampen speculation that the Pope's resignation could be linked to a secret dossier of information on the Vatileaks scandal which was handed to him recently.
Over the weekend the Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, issued an angry denunciation of "unverified, unverifiable, or even completely false" claims threatening to undermine the papal election.
But even as he spoke The Observer newspaper published allegations from four men - three priests and one former priest - of "inappropriate" behaviour by the cardinal dating back as far as 1980.
One of the men, who has since left the priesthood, claims he was a young seminarian in Scotland when the future cardinal made "inappropriate" contact after evening prayers.
One priest alleges that he received unwanted attention from the cardinal after a late-night drinking session and another claims that he was receiving counselling when the cardinal allegedly used night prayers as a cover.
The former priest was quoted as saying he had left the priesthood "to preserve my integrity" knowing that the cardinal's position gave him "immense power".
Cardinal O'Brien, who turns 75 next month, pulled out of leading a mass to honour Pope Benedict in Edinburgh yesterday and remained at his home in the city.
The Rt Rev Stephen Robson, the auxiliary bishop in the diocese, visited Cardinal O'Brien yesterday and left saying: "He is very upset, he is bound to be."
But when asked whether the cardinal would still be going to Rome, where he is expected on Tuesday, he said only that a statement would be released soon.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the former Archbishop of Westminster, said he was saddened by the claims. But he insisted: "The allegations have not been proved in any way, so he will have to decide whether he wants to go."
Last night it emerged that the Pope was examining the allegations, which were passed to him by the Vatican's Nuncio in the UK, Archbishop Antonio Mennini.
Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesperson, said, "The Pope has been informed, and the question is in his hands."
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