Pope Francis’ Decision To Cancel Africa Trip Fuels Rumours Over Resignation
Pope Francis has fuelled the hearsay mill with a postponed Africa journey and the curious timing of an upcoming assembly of cardinals. The speculations have been renewed via way of means of the statement approximately his proposed tour to L’Aquila in primary Italy in past due August – much like different popes who’ve retired.
Speculations arose in early May after the 85-year-vintage regarded in public the use of a wheelchair for the primary time because of ache in his knee.
The 85-year-vintage cancelled his proposed Africa journey in July because of compelled use of a wheelchair.
“At the request of his doctors, and so as now no longer to jeopardize the outcomes of the remedy that he’s present process for his knee, the Holy Father has been compelled to postpone, with regret, his Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and to South Sudan, deliberate for two to 7 July, to a later date to be determined,” Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, stated in a assertion recently.
The hypothesis received momentum after Pope Benedict made the uncommon choice to host a consistory on August 27 to create new cardinals, a number of whom might be eligible to pick the pontiff’s successor.
“It’s very extraordinary to have a consistory in August, there may be no cause that he wishes to name this 3 months earlier after which visit L’Aquila withinside the center of it,” Robert Mickens, the Rome-primarily based totally editor of the English-language version of La Croix, a Catholic every day newspaper, changed into quoted as announcing via way of means of The Guardian.
Most recently, in May, Pope Francis had joked approximately his knee at some stage in a closed-door assembly with bishops: “Rather than operate, I’ll surrender.”
In July, he’s anticipated to move on a journey to Canada and that time table stays unchanged for now. He maintains to obtain injections in his knee and bodily remedy, consistent with the Vatican.
In July 2021, the pope underwent intestinal surgery, which saved him withinside the sanatorium for 10 days.
What is the protocol if the Pope resigns?
If that happens, the cardinals will accumulate collectively to call a successor. The College of Cardinals, which elects the subsequent pope, is made of Catholic Church’s maximum senior officials.
Who changed into the closing pope to surrender?
Benedict XVI, Pope Francis’ predecessor, resigned in February 2013 over fitness concerns. He changed into the primary pontiff to surrender in round six hundred years.
Vatican watchers, however, say a resignation appears unlikely. Rumours withinside the insular Roman Curia – the Catholic Church’s effective governing body – are not anything new, and frequently fuelled via way of means of people with an interest, stated Italian Vatican professional Marco Politi.
“These rumours are recommended via way of means of the pope’s combatants who’re most effective keen to peer Francis leave,” he advised new enterprise AFP.
