In an interview published on Sunday, Pope Francis said that he wrote a resignation letter in case he couldn't carry out his duties after being electedpontiff.
Francis told ABC that he gave the note to the Vatican's secretary of state. The pope thinks that Cardinal Pietro Parolin has the written instructions.
Francis, who turned 86 on Saturday, had surgery in 2021 to repair a bowel narrowing and has been hobbled by knee pain ever since. He has been using a cane instead of a wheelchair recently.
When asked if there should be a rule for when a pope can't do his job because of health issues or an accident, Francis said there is already a rule.
Francis said that he signed his renunciation early in the papacy.
I resigned if I became impaired for medical reasons or something. "Here you have it,'" he said, referring to Cardinal Bertone, who stepped down as secretary of state in October of last year.
The pontiff said that someone will run up to him and say, "Give me that piece of paper."
Francis was certain that the current secretary of state would have received the letter.
In the past, Francis has praised Pope Benedict's decision to step down because he felt he wouldn't be able to do his job. The first pontiff to resign in 600 years was Benedict, who stepped down to make way for Francis.
Francis said in the interview that one governs with the head and not the knee.
When Benedict announced his resignation to a gathering of prelates at the Vatican, the world was startled.
Pope Francis resigned in case of medical issues.
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