Pope Francis' predecessor was the first pope to retire in nearly 600 years, but Francis has said he has no plans to step down and is considering the possibility of visiting the United States.
In a historic Vatican City interview with CBS Evening News anchor and editor-in-chief Norah O'Donnell, the 87-year-old leader of the world's approximately 1.4 billion Catholics said he had never considered resigning. He said it had never occurred to him.
“Maybe one day my health will deteriorate further,” Francis said. “Maybe it's because my only weakness is my knees, which are getting a lot better. But that never occurred to me.”
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Francis, who became pontiff in 2013 at the age of 76, currently uses a wheelchair but said his health was “okay.”
Pope Francis' past health issues
Francis, one of the oldest popes in church history, has dealt with several health problems, including the flu and two intestinal surgeries, and he also has only one lung.
Francisco, from Argentina, had a “significant portion” of his lungs infected during his youth removed, said Sergio Rubin, Francisco's official biographer.
In his memoir, “Life: My Story Through History,” published earlier this year, Francis wrote about his hospitalization and treatment and said he was aware that people were speculating about the next conclave and the new pope. Stated.
“Relax. It's human. There's nothing shocking about it,” he wrote.
Last year, the pope was hospitalized for three days with what the Vatican called “bronchitis,” but later explained it was pneumonia. Pope Francis also underwent abdominal surgery last June to repair a hernia and remove painful scarring.
Pope Benedict XVI, who abdicated in 2013, cited declining health as the reason for his resignation before stepping down. He passed away in 2022 at the age of 95.
There are no plans to slow down, and a trip to the US may be in the future.
Pope Francis has kept a busy schedule over the past decade, visiting more than 60 countries. He is planning a trip to the Far East and Belgium.
In September, Francis will visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore. A trip to Belgium is also planned for September.
Francisco said he may also visit the United States “depending on whether I need to go and speak at the United Nations.” He added, “It's possible. I'm not sure.''
O'Donnell asked what he wanted to talk about there, and Francis replied, “If I go, it's about peace.”
The potential visit was one of many topics the pope addressed during the hour-long interview with O'Donnell, which airs Monday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS and streams on Paramount+.
Pope Francis interview
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