Pope Francis, the Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church, has fueled rumors that he will step down after announcing his presence at a feast in L’Aquila, central Italy, this year.
Francis Pope is the first pope to be a part of the Society of Jesus, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope from outside Europe since Gregory III, a Syrian who reigned in the eighth century.
He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and as a young man served as a bouncer and janitor before studying chemistry and working as a technician in a food science laboratory.
Francis upholds the Church’s traditional stances on abortion, clerical celibacy, and women’s ordination.
Fact Check: News Of Pope Francis Resignation Or Retirement Explained
Pope Francis has fueled suspicion that he wants to retire rather than die in office by declaring a visit to the tomb of a 13th-century pontiff who despised his job and resigned after five months.
On August 28, he will visit L’Aquila, in central Italy, to pay tribute to Pope Celestine V, who issued a law enabling popes to resign in 1294 and then utilized the rule to resign the next day.
Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI, is thought to have used his decision to step down in 2013 owing to poor health, becoming the first pope to do so in six centuries.
To be fair, Francis has already stated that he is open to the notion of resigning and that he does not see himself as a long-term fixture in St. Peter’s seat.
Is Pope Francis Leaving Vatican City?
Pope Francis may leave Vatican City following his retirement, according to unsourced reports in Italian and Catholic media.
Those reports gathered momentum this week when the pope announced a forum on August 27 to create 21 new cardinals. Sixteen of the cardinals are under the age of 80, making them eligible to vote in the election that will choose Francis’ replacement.
The situation of the 85-year-old, recently underwent extensive surgery to put an end to the continuous curiosity about his health and longevity that comes with working.
Most Vatican observers keep an eye on the politics of a future election even if they are too polite to speak about it. The specifics of the Roman Bishop’s departure are yet to be revealed.
Pope Francis Family Time As Multiple Reports Surfaces On Twitter
Pope Francis is set to leave his job to have more family time, as per multiple reports that have been suggested on Twitter.
In recent days, the Catholic press and social networks have gone into PapalRumorModeOverdriveTM, spreading rumors that the pope may be set to retire joining Benedict XVI.
He could begin his studies at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican Gardens as early as December. Rumor reports are nearly by definition unverifiable.
The notion is linked to suspicions that Francis is intending to act on the legal status of retired popes soon, apparently clearing the way for his own choice to resign.