Pope Francis, who turned 88 last month and recently delegated a speech to an aide due to a cold, reassures in his new book that he feels healthy and has no plans to resign as head of the Catholic Church.
“I am well. The reality is quite simple: I am old,” the Pontiff writes in his autobiography, which was released today in over 100 countries.
Despite often using a wheelchair due to knee and back pain, Pope Francis asserts in his book: “The Church is governed with the head and the heart, not with the legs.”
The Argentine-born Pope, the first from Latin America, has been leading the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church since 2013.
Over the past two years, he has faced recurring bouts of flu and related health issues. In 2021, he underwent surgery for diverticulitis, a painful intestinal condition, and in 2023, he had another operation to address a hernia.
“Every time a pope falls ill, it seems a conclave is being prepared,” Francis writes, referring to the secret meeting of Catholic cardinals convened to elect a new pope.
“The reality is that even during my days in surgery, I never thought about resigning,” he adds.
The new volume, titled “Hope,” is the second of two books Pope Francis has released in the past two years, following his memoir published in March 2024.
The Italian publishing house Mondadori, which published the Pope’s latest book, initially planned to release it posthumously. However, Pope Francis decided it should be published during the Catholic Church’s Holy Year, which is centered on the theme of hope.
The book offers a glimpse into the Pope’s thoughts on aging, resilience, and his unwavering commitment to leading the Church despite physical challenges, emphasizing the spiritual and emotional strength required for such a role.
Source: ANA-MPA/ Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
