The pope, who turned 86 on Saturday, has previously declared that he would renounce the papacy if he had health problems.
Pope Francis announced in an interview published Sunday that he signed a letter of resignation nearly a decade ago should health problems prevent him from carrying out his duties. The pope, who turned 86 on Saturday, has previously declared that he would renounce the papacy if he had health problems.
In a statement to Spanish daily ABC, the Pope said he had already signed a letter of resignation and handed it to Vatican Secretary of State Bishop Tarcisio Bertone before the latter retired in 2013. Due to medical or other disability, here is my resignation. You have it,” said the Pope.
When asked by the journalist if he wanted this information to be known, François replied: “That’s why I’m telling you”, specifying that he didn’t know what Bertone had done after this letter. The Pope suffers from an inoperable knee condition that has forced him to use a wheelchair in recent months. He has had to cancel or limit activities several times over the past year due to pain and admitted in an interview in July that he has had to slow down.
“I feel that at my age and with this compulsion I need to take it easy to serve the Church. Or, on the contrary, consider the possibility of retiring,” he said. Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI, resigned in 2013 for health reasons and now lives in the Vatican.