The Bishop of Rome and the global leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Jesuit Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis) has said, for the first time, that he had signed his resignation letter nearly 10 years ago in anticipation that poor health might prevent him from carrying out his duties.
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Pope Francis turned 86 on December 17 and celebrated 53 years as a priest on December 13.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper ABC, the pontiff said he signed his resignation letter and handed it over to the Vatican’s Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone before that cardinal’s retirement in 2013.
Pope Francis had said in earlier fora that he would step down from the papacy should health problems keep him from his duties.
His predecessor, Benedict XVI, also quit over failing health in 2013.
“I have already signed my renunciation,” Pope Francis said, explaining that he did so early in the papacy.
“I signed it and said: ‘If I should become impaired for medical reasons or whatever, here is my resignation. Here you have it,‘” he said, referring to Cardinal Bertone, who stepped down as Secretary of State in October 2013, in the first months of Francis’ papacy.
When the interviewer asked him if he wanted the fact to go public, Francis replied: “That’s why I’m telling you.
“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 think about the possibility of stepping aside.”
Checks revealed that Pope Francis had surgery on his colon in 2021. Earlier this year, the pontiff also shared information that he was having problems with his knee.
During the months that followed, Pope Francis had to cancel some public events and a papal trip to Africa due to the ligament pain in his right knee.
The Pope also stopped taking the stairs and, in May, after receiving medical treatment, he started using a wheelchair or walking short distances with a cane.
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