Pope Francis has been open about the possibility of stepping down as head of the Catholic Church, believing that there may come a time when there may be a need to assess his ability to perform the functions of his office.
The Pope declared: “The door (to resign) is open it is a normal option. But to this day I haven’t knocked on that door. I didn’t feel the need to think about that possibility. Which doesn’t mean I can’t start thinking about it in two days’ time.” The pope made the statement at the end of his trip to Canada.
The pope has made clear his intention to remain in office, currently 85, and said he will be guided by God regarding the step down. “It’s not a catastrophe to change the pope, it’s not taboo,” the pope told some journalists.
The Pope’s Journey to Canada.
The pope was in Canada during his passage in 2022 when he made several comments about the possibility of resigning. During the trip, he apologized to the indigenous and indigenous peoples for the destruction of their cultures and languages.
In 2022, the Pope suffered from knee problems that affected his mobility. So he sat in a wheelchair during his transit through Canada. In this way he informed journalists: “I don’t think that at my age I can continue traveling at the same pace as before with the limitations of this knee. I’ll either save up a bit to continue serving the Church, or I’ll have to start contemplating leaving.”