whether Francis might resign if he becomes irreversibly sick and unable to carry on. Francis has said he would consider it, ...

In 1965, Pope Paul VI wrote letters to the dean of the College of Cardinals, hypothesizing that if he were to become seriously ill, the dean and other cardinals should accept his resignation.

As noted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, it was at a fairly “ordinary” consistory in 2013 that Pope Benedict XVI announced his surprise resignation. Who is eligible to be the next ...

If Pope Francis resigns, he wouldn't be the first Pope to do so, even though it is a rare occurrence. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI had also resigned in 2013, citing health reasons.

The Pope could reportedly resign if his health worsens as fears ... as his predecessor Benedict XVI did, amid concerns that he cannot meet the physical and mental demands of the papacy.

What happens when a pope dies or resigns? The only time papal power changes hands is when a pope dies or resigns. At that ...