In the Italian press, rumors began to circulate that Pope Francis had expressed his intention to leave the Vatican throne, in connection with which they talk about a new conclave.
The pontiff suffers from diverticular disease of the sigmoid colon (a chronic disease of the colon), which has worsened this summer.
In July, he underwent a resection of the left side of his large intestine.
However, ten days later he was discharged from the Roman hospital and returned to his ministry.
Undoubtedly, bodily weakness makes it difficult to carry out pastoral duties, although the example of Pope John Paul II is also known, who in the last years of his life suffered from Parkinson's disease, but was distinguished by his fortitude and, being completely relaxed, did not leave the ministry until his death.
And indeed of the 266 popes who have occupied the Holy See since the time of the Apostle.
Peter, there were quite a few senior priests who suffered from various diseases, which, however, did not prevent them, overcoming weakness, from serving as vicar of Christ.
Indeed, of the three high priests who left the throne of their own accord for almost two millennia of the papacy (Celestine V, Gregory XII, Benedict XVI), no one did it for health reasons.
Celestine V (XIII century), who turned out to be a worthless administrator, a kind of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, dreamed of returning to a hermit life.
Gregory XII (XV century) left the Vatican as part of a package deal designed to end the great schism of the papacy - both the Pope and the Antipope abdicated the throne at the same time.
We still do not know what prompted Benedict XVI to abdicate in 2013.
But clearly not health - for eight years now he has been at rest in well-being.
If the rumors about Pope Francis are confirmed, he will become not only the first pontiff from the Western Hemisphere - all the former were Europeans - and not only the first of the popes who managed to utter a lot during his ministry, even up to some seductive things - his speeches on the Creed , about sodomites, etc., - but also the first, about which it will be possible to say "the flesh is weak, and the spirit too."
For the removal from oneself of the duties of the Servant of the servants of God due to poor health does not fully speak of the strength of the spirit.
In this sense, the head of the Church of England, Queen Elizabeth II, is more firm.
Although, if we talk about the spirit of the times - and Pope Francis is very much on the line of aggiornamento - such an act would quite fit into the general direction.
In the constitutional monarchies of Europe (Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands), where the king (queen) served as the president for life of the parliamentary republic, it has already become customary to abdicate the monarch in favor of the heir.
The dream of Alexander the Blessed has come true: "I served 25 years, soldiers at this age are retired."
That is, the king has long been a president who has opened flower exhibitions, but now he is no longer for life.
Tired of the royal service - and at rest.
There is no formal prescription according to which the Pope is relieved of the burden of the tiara only by death - the old French principle “The crown of a Christian monarch is removed only with the head” was much stricter.
So there is no reason not to admit the possibility that the precedent of two resignations in a row (if, of course, the resignation of Francis actually takes place) will be perceived by subsequent pontiffs as something already normative.
He served, blessed - give way to the young (relatively young, of course).
As it already happened with the European monarchs, this, of course, will be a step towards the final desacralization of the institution - towards the complete loss of miracle, mystery and authority.
But they will say: "The whole world is changing, everything rushes forward, but I dare not break the words?"
Moreover, there was no word.
Again, the turnover of power is a fetish of the Western world, and the recent public death of John Paul II from Parkinson's disease was a sad sight.
Even Brezhnev was commemorated in this regard.
So the papal leapfrog may well become the custom of our enlightened century.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.