Would Pope Francis resign? Experts say it’s unlikely – but the pontiff often springs surprises | CNN


Would Pope Francis resign? Experts say it’s unlikely – but the pontiff often springs surprises | CNN

By Christopher Lamb, CNN 4 minute read Updated 7:06 AM EST, Sun March 2, 2025 Rome CNN — When Benedict XVI became the first pope to resign in 600 years it sent shockwaves through the Catholic Church. Now, after spending two weeks in hospital battling pneumonia, the speculation in the Vatican is whether his successor Pope Francis might do the same. “I think the only circumstances under which he (Francis) would consider resignation, as he has said, would be if he had a long-term degenerative or debilitating condition which prevented him from fully carrying out the papal ministry,” Austen Ivereigh, a papal biographer, told CNN. The pope was put on a breathing machine on Friday, after suffering a sudden episode of respiratory difficulty, the Vatican said. The episode was complicated by vomiting, some of which the pope aspirated, it added. He has not suffered further crises since, the Vatican said Saturday, adding that the Pope’s medical picture “remains complex.” On Sunday morning, Francis was said to be resting, after what the Vatican called a peaceful night.