Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Pope Francis' Decision To Cancel Africa Trip Fuels Rumours Over Resignation

Pope Francis' Decision To Cancel Africa Trip Fuels Rumours Over Resignation

Experts say the rumours within the insular Roman Curia are nothing new, and often fuelled by those with an interest.

Pope Francis has fuelled the rumour mill with a postponed Africa trip and the curious timing of an upcoming meeting of cardinals. The speculations were renewed by the announcement about his proposed travel to L'Aquila in central Italy in late August - similar to other popes who have retired.

Speculations arose in early May after the 85-year-old appeared in public using a wheelchair for the first time due to pain in his knee.

The 85-year-old cancelled his proposed Africa trip in July due to forced use of a wheelchair.

"At the request of his doctors, and in order not to jeopardize the results of the therapy that he is undergoing for his knee, the Holy Father has been forced to postpone, with regret, his Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and to South Sudan, planned for 2 to 7 July, to a later date to be determined," Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, said in a statement recently.

The speculation gained momentum after Pope Benedict made the unusual decision to host a consistory on August 27 to create new cardinals, some of whom will be eligible to elect the pontiff's successor.

"It's very odd to have a consistory in August, there's no reason that he needs to call this three months in advance and then go to L'Aquila in the middle of it," Robert Mickens, the Rome-based editor of the English-language edition of La Croix, a Catholic daily newspaper, was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

Most recently, in May, Pope Francis had joked about his knee during a closed-door meeting with bishops: "Rather than operate, I'll resign."

In July, he is expected to go on a trip to Canada and that schedule remains unchanged for now. He continues to receive injections in his knee and physical therapy, according to the Vatican.

In July 2021, the pope underwent intestinal surgery, which kept him in the hospital for 10 days.

What is the protocol if the Pope resigns?


If that happens, the cardinals will gather together to name a successor. The College of Cardinals, which elects the next pope, is made up of Catholic Church's most senior officials.

Who was the last pope to resign?


Benedict XVI, Pope Francis' predecessor, resigned in February 2013 over health concerns. He was the first pontiff to resign in around 600 years.

Vatican watchers, however, say a resignation seems unlikely. Rumours within the insular Roman Curia - the Catholic Church's powerful governing body - are nothing new, and often fuelled by those with an interest, said Italian Vatican expert Marco Politi.

"These rumours are encouraged by the pope's opponents who are only eager to see Francis leave," he told new agency AFP.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
×