Pope Francis Opens Up On Retirement Plans And Russia-Ukraine Crisis

Pope Francis of the Catholic Church has given an hint of his plans towards retirement as pope.
According to the papal minister, he may step down from the role once he discovers he is too tired to continue as head of the Church.
Weighing into the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Pope Francis reveals it is not only a Russian war but something that is driven by interests from the world in general.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Pope Francis has disclosed that he may step down from his role as the head of the Catholic Church if he becomes too tired to continue.

In an interview with Italian media, the Pope, who is 86 years old, warned of “a fatigue that makes you not see things clearly… A lack of clarity when it comes to knowing how to assess situations.”

EDITOR’S PICKS:

He also spoke about feeling “a bit ashamed” to use a wheelchair due to a knee injury, which has been causing him physical discomfort.

The Pope, who has been the head of the Catholic Church since March 2013, marked 10 years of his papacy on Monday. Last month, he stated that papal resignations should happen only in exceptional circumstances, and that quitting was not “on [his] agenda.” However, he has progressively added to speculation that he would at some point stand down from his position should his health worsen.

In the interview, which was conducted with Italian Swiss television RSI, with extracts published in La Repubblica, La Stampa, and Corriere della Sera, the Pope also commented on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

He said that the war had been driven by the interests of several empires, not just the Russian empire, and expressed a readiness to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin to call for peace. While the Pope has repeatedly called for an end to the war and denied being pro-Putin, he has previously suggested that the invasion of Ukraine was “perhaps in some way provoked.”

The Pope’s comments about his potential resignation come after he claimed to have signed a resignation letter in case of a deterioration of his health.

“In practice, there is already a rule. I have already signed my renunciation,” he said, referring to Cardinal Bertone, to whom the letter was given.

In January, he also gave a sermon on the “virtue of stepping aside at the right time,” stating that “It is good for us too to cultivate… the virtue of setting ourselves aside at the right moment, bearing witness that the point of reference of life is Jesus.”

Despite his comments about his potential resignation, the Pope remains committed to his role as the head of the Catholic Church. He has been a vocal advocate for social justice, environmental protection, and interfaith dialogue, and has sought to reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy and financial systems.