Pope Francis jokingly states he only has “two or three
years” to live before he goes to the “Father’s House” in
first comments on his own mortality
The Pope has spoken publicly for the first time about
his own death, suggesting that he only has two to three
years to live and may retire early.
Pope Francis, 77, made the claims during a press
conference on his return flight from a hectic, five-day
visit to South Korea.
When asked how he was coping with his huge
popularity, the Pontiff replied: “I try to think of my sins,
my mistakes, so as not to think that I am somebody.
Because I know this will last a short time, two or three
years, and then to the house of the Father.”
He then made a chopping gesture with his hand and
whistling noise.
If the Pope is proved right, it would bring the curtain
down on a revolutionary papacy during which he has
already shaken up – over the course of months since his
election last year – Vatican institutions which have
remained unchanged for centuries.
On the plane back from Korea, the Pope looked in good
form and stood for an hour as he took questions from
reporters, but he admitted he was struggling to keep up
with his appointments, recalling how he cancelled a visit
to a Rome hospital in June.
“The day I should have gone to the Gemelli (Hospital),
up to 10 minutes before I was there, but I could not do
it. It is true, they were seven very demanding days
then, full of engagements. Now I have to be a little
more prudent,” he said.
The hard working pope, who grew up in Buenos Aires
and became archbishop there in 1998 before his election
as pope, revealed his last holiday outside the city was in
1975, but he added that he was a dab hand at
holidaying at home.
“I change rhythm. I sleep more, I read the things I like.
I listen to music. That way I rest. In July and part of
August I did that,” he said.
Pope Francis admitted that he had “some nerve
problems”, which required treatment. “Must treat them
well, these nerves, give them mate (an Argentine tea)
every day,” he joked.
On Tuesday, bookmakers Paddy Power made Ghana’s
Cardinal Peter Turkson 7/1 favourite to succeed the
Pope, followed by Canada’s Cardinal Marc Ouellet at
8/1. England’s Cardinal Vincent Nicols stood at 20/1.
On the plane the Pope again supported the decision by
his predecessor Pope Benedict to retire – the first pope
to do so in 600 years – and suggested he might do the
same.
“Let us think about what he said,” the Pope said of
Benedict. “I have got old, I do not have the strength. It
was a beautiful gesture of nobility, of humility and
courage.”
The Pope pointed out that 70 years ago, bishops rarely
retired. “They did not exist, but today emeritus bishops
are an institution,” he said.
“I think that the emeritus pope is already an institution
because our life gets longer and at a certain age there
isn’t the capacity to govern well because the body gets
tired, and maybe one’s health is good but there isn’t the
capacity to carry forward all the problems of a
government like that of the Church,” he said.
“I would do the same,” he added. “I would pray, but I
would do the same. He (Benedict) opened a door that is
institutional, not exceptional.”
Despite his talk of death and retirement, the Pope was
also keen to lay out plans for future foreign trips,
suggesting he still has plenty of energy.
After suggesting that the UN should get involved in
halting the advance of the Islamic militants in Iraq, the
Pope said he was willing to visit northern Iraq, even
though “at the moment it is not the best thing to do”.
He said he was aiming to visit Philadelphia next year,
had been invited by Barack Obama to the US Congress
and by the secretary general of the United Nations to
visit the UN in New York.
“So maybe the three cities together,” he said. “Then
there’s Mexico. The Mexicans want me to go to the
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, so we could take
advantage of that too, but it’s not certain.”
He was also mulling a quick trip to Spain, he said.
Following trips to Brazil, the Holy Land and South
Korea, the Vatican has confirmed Francis will visit
Albania in September and Sri Lanka and the Philippines
in January.
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