Pope Francis has denied rumours that he may step down soon, stating he will visit Canada this month as scheduled and wishes to visit Moscow and Kyiv as soon as possible after that.
Francis also laughed off rumours that he had cancer, saying that his doctors ‘didn’t tell me anything about it,’ in an exclusive interview at his Vatican residence. He also revealed for the first time the specifics of the knee condition that has prevented him from performing some duties.
The 85-year-old pontiff reiterated his opposition to abortion in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last month during a 90-minute conversation on Saturday afternoon that was conducted in Italian without the presence of any assistants.
There have been media rumours that a series of occasions in late August, including meetings with cardinals from around the world to discuss a new Vatican constitution, a ceremony to formally welcome new cardinals, and a trip to the Italian city of L’Aquila, could portend an announcement of resignation.
Pope Celestine V, who resigned from the papacy in 1294, is related with L’Aquila. The last pope to visit the city in about 600 years was Pope Benedict XVI, who made his trip four years before he resigned in 2013.
Francis, though, laughed the concept off throughout the conversation as he discussed a wide range of global and church-related topics.
Some people believed that the same ‘liturgy’ would take place as a result of all these coincidences, he claimed. ‘But I never thought of it. For the time being, no, no, no. Really!’
Francis did, however, reiterate his frequently expressed view that, should his health deteriorate to the point that he is unable to lead the Church, he may retire at some point — something that, prior to Benedict XVI, was virtually unimaginable.
When asked when he believed that may occur, he responded: ‘We are unsure. God will decide.’
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