Pope Francis resignation letter

Most pontiffs serve for life but Pope Benedict XVI became the first leader of the Catholic Church to step down in 600-plus years when he left the position in ...

He was the first modern-era Pope to Pope Francis reportedly gave the letter to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone in 2013. "To love the church," he said in his address at the time, "also means having the courage to take difficult decisions." At the time, the Pope thanked everyone for understanding his decision to leave his position due to his age and health. "I signed it and said: 'If I should become impaired for medical reasons or whatever, here is my resignation. Here you have it.'"

Pope Francis wrote his resignation letter in 2013, shortly after he became pontiff. The pope's resignation note was revealed in an article recently.

In past remarks, Francis has hailed the decision of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, to resign because he felt due to advancing age he wouldn't be best able to carry out his duties. Lately, he has increasingly used a cane instead of the wheelchair to get around in public. The pontiff added that he presumes that the prelate currently in that Vatican No. Catholic church law requires a papal resignation be "freely and properly manifested" — as was the case when Benedict startled the world when he announced his resignation to a gathering of prelates at the Vatican in February 2013. "I signed it and said: 'If I should become impaired for medical reasons or whatever, here is my resignation. The pontiff quipped that now that he has revealed the existence of his resignation note, "someone will run up to Bertone (saying), 'Give me that piece of paper.'"

Pope Francis made a surprise revelation during a recent interview with a Spanish news outlet that he has a signed resignation letter on standby in case he's ...

Here you have it,‘” he was quoted as saying, per the Associated Press. Francis added that the letter is now possibly in the possession of the current secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the news outlet reported. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC, which published the report Sunday, Francis said he gave the letter, which was written in 2013, to then Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Associated Press reported.

Speaking to a Spanish newspaper, Pope Francis claimed he gave the note to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state.

According to a report by AFP, Pope Francis starts a historic trip to war-battered Iraq on March 5, defying security fears and the pandemic to comfort one of the world's oldest and most persecuted Christian communities. Francis is currently residing in a monastery on the grounds of the Vatican. [Francis](/topic/francis)claimed he gave the note to Cardinal [Tarcisio Bertone](/topic/tarcisio-bertone), the Vatican's secretary of state. [Benedict XVI](/topic/benedict-xvi)'s decision to step down because he believed his advanced age would make it difficult for him to perform his duties. [Cardinal Pietro Parolin](/topic/cardinal-pietro-parolin), who currently holds the No. Francis indicated that he did so early in his pontificate but had already signed his renunciation.

Speaking to a Spanish newspaper, Pope Francis claimed he gave the note to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state.

According to a report by AFP, Pope Francis starts a historic trip to war-battered Iraq on March 5, defying security fears and the pandemic to comfort one of the world's oldest and most persecuted Christian communities. Francis is currently residing in a monastery on the grounds of the Vatican. [Francis](/topic/francis)claimed he gave the note to Cardinal [Tarcisio Bertone](/topic/tarcisio-bertone), the Vatican's secretary of state. [Benedict XVI](/topic/benedict-xvi)'s decision to step down because he believed his advanced age would make it difficult for him to perform his duties. [Cardinal Pietro Parolin](/topic/cardinal-pietro-parolin), who currently holds the No. Francis indicated that he did so early in his pontificate but had already signed his renunciation.

Pope Francis has admitted that he prepared a resignation letter in 2013 shortly after being elected pontiff in case medical issues prevented him from ...

In 2021, Pope Francis required surgery to remove the left part of his colon. Follow GR on [Google News ](https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqLQgKIidDQklTRndnTWFoTUtFV2R5WldWcmNtVndiM0owWlhJdVkyOXRLQUFQAQ)and [subscribe here ](https://follow.it/greekreporter-com)to our daily email! Despite a number of health issues, the Pope has remained busy with his Papal duties. When asked why the Vatican was cautious on speaking out against totalitarian regimes, Pope Francis answered, “The Holy See always tries to safeguard peoples…through dialogue and diplomacy. [elected to the papacy](https://greekreporter.com/2013/03/17/patriarch-bartholomew-to-attend-pope-francis-inauguration/) at the age of 76, on March 13, 2013. The Pope was asked what would happen if he was incapacitated by health issues, to which he responded that he had “already signed my renunciation.”

Pope Francis made a surprise revelation during a recent interview with a Spanish news outlet that he has a signed resignation letter on standby in case he's ...

Here you have it,‘” he was quoted as saying, per the Associated Press. Francis added that the letter is now possibly in the possession of the current secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the news outlet reported. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC, which published the report Sunday, Francis said he gave the letter, which was written in 2013, to then Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Associated Press reported.