I Signed Resignation Letter Should Health Fail – Pope Francis

I Signed Resignation Letter Should Health Fail – Pope Francis

In an interview on Sunday, Pope Francis disclosed for the first time that he had submitted a letter of resignation nearly ten years prior in the event that ill health prevented him from performing his duties.

Francis, who turned 86 on Saturday, had previously stated that if health issues prevented him from performing his duties, he would resign as pope.

Before Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s secretary of state, retired in 2013, the pope claimed that he signed his resignation letter and delivered it to him.

“I signed the resignation letter and informed him that it was enclosed in case of a medical emergency or other circumstance.

The pope said, “You have it. When asked if he wanted that information to be known, Pope Francis responded, “That is why I am telling you.”

He continued by saying he was unaware of Bertone’s subsequent actions regarding the letter.

Pope Francis inability to walk due to a knee condition that cannot be treated has made him dependent on a wheelchair in recent months.

The pope has had to postpone or reduce activities on numerous occasions in the past year due to pain, and he acknowledged the need to slow down in an interview in July.

“I think that at my age and with this limitation, I have to save myself a little bit to be able to serve the Church. Or, alternatively, to consider the potential of retiring,” he said.

In 2013, Benedict XVI, Francis’ predecessor, resigned due to deteriorating health. In Vatican City, he now leads a quiet life.