VATICAN CITY — The Vatican is equipped with specific regulations and rituals for transferring power when a pope dies or resigns. However, there are no established protocols in place for situations where the pope falls ill or becomes unconscious. This lack of clarity raises pressing questions about leadership within the Catholic Church if the pope becomes completely incapacitated.
Currently, Pope Francis is hospitalized, battling a serious lung infection while remaining conscious and under supplemental oxygen. His medical condition has raised concerns about potential scenarios where he might lose consciousness for an extended time, or whether he might consider resigning, similar to his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. As of Monday, Pope Francis’s hospital stay will have reached 10 days, matching the duration of his previous hospitalization in 2021 due to colon surgery.
This ongoing health situation has sparked renewed interest in how papal authority is maintained, transferred, and exercised in the Vatican, especially in light of the pope’s age and prolonged health concerns. The role of the pope is defined as the successor to Apostle Peter, head of the bishops’ college, Vicar of Christ, and the spiritual leader of the global Catholic Church, according to ecclesiastical law.
Despite his present health challenges, nothing about Francis’s papal authority or responsibilities has shifted since his election as the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. The Vatican’s internal mechanisms for governance remain in effect regardless of his ability to serve physically.
Although Pope Francis oversees the operations of the Vatican, he delegates many responsibilities to various officials, ensuring tasks are accomplished even if he cannot perform them personally. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state, is a key figure in the administration of the Church. Notably, during Francis’s hospitalization, Parolin was abroad but promptly returned to the Vatican. Other Vatican activities, including the preparation for the 2025 Holy Year celebrations, are continuing as planned.
For instance, on Sunday, Archbishop Rino Fisichella conducted a Jubilee Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in Francis’s stead, offering a prayer for the pope from the altar before sharing the message he had originally crafted.
While canon law dictates protocols for a bishop who cannot fulfill his duties due to illness, there is no similar guideline for a pope. Canon 412 allows for a diocese to be declared “impeded” if a bishop cannot carry out his roles due to certain incapacities. In such cases, responsibilities are transferred to an auxiliary bishop or a general vicar. However, there is no explicit framework for a pope who may become “impeded.” Canon 335 states that if the Holy See is “vacant or entirely impeded,” governance cannot be altered, yet it does not define what “entirely impeded” entails.
In 2021, a team of canon lawyers highlighted this legislative gap and initiated a proposal for norms to manage the office of a former pope and define procedures for when a pope is unable to lead the Church. Their proposed framework acknowledged the increasing likelihood of a future pope being alive yet incapable of governing. They stressed the need for a declaration of a “totally impeded see” to ensure the Church’s unity.
Under these proposed rules, the College of Cardinals would assume governance of the Church. Should the pope be temporarily incapacitated, a commission would oversee operations, with medical evaluations conducted every six months to assess the pope’s condition.
Pope Francis has disclosed that shortly after his election, he drafted a resignation letter that could activate should he become incapacitated. This letter was entrusted to then-secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and Francis believes it was delivered to the office of his successor, Cardinal Parolin. However, the contents of this letter and the conditions under which he would resign have yet to be disclosed, leaving uncertainty about its potential validity under canon law.
Papal power transitions only occur when a pope passes away or resigns, triggering a series of rituals designated for the “interregnum” — the period between pontificates. During this time known as the “sede vacante,” the camerlengo, or chamberlain, manages the administrative functions of the Holy See, verifies the pope’s death, secures the papal quarters, and oversees preparations for the conclave to elect a new pope. Currently, this role is held by Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
The camerlengo’s responsibilities do not extend to situations where the pope is simply unwell or incapacitated but not deceased. Similarly, the dean of the College of Cardinals, who is responsible for presiding over a papal funeral and organizing the conclave, has no additional roles during a pope’s illness. This position is filled by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who has retained his role even after his term expired earlier this month; he was allowed to continue in this capacity at Francis’s discretion.
In summary, while Pope Francis valiantly battles health issues, the absence of clear protocols governing papal incapacity raises critical governance questions within the Catholic Church.
