Pope Francis underlines that papacy is a lifetime post

ROME — Pope Francis made clear in comments published Thursday by a Jesuit journal that he believes being pope is a lifetime position and Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation was an exception.

“I for the moment do not have that on my agenda,” Francis told Civita Cattolica in the clearest statement he has made on the issue.

The pontiff also said the resignation letter he wrote two months after his elections was precautionary.

“I did it in case I had some health problem that would prevent me from exercising my ministry and I am not fully conscious and able to resign,” he told Civita Cattolica. “However, this does not at all mean that resigning popes should become, let’s say, a ‘fashion,’ a normal thing.”

He added that a papal ministry should be “ad vitam” — for life — adding “I see no reason why it should not be so.”

The pope made the comments during his recent trip to Africa.

Previously, Francis hailed the decision of his predecessor, Pope Benedict, to resign because he felt due to advancing age he wouldn’t be best able to carry out his duties. Benedict died in January, nearly a decade after resigning.

Francis, 86, had bowel surgery in 2021 and has been hobbled by knee pain for months.