VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has established specific laws and rituals to manage the transition of power following the death or resignation of a pope. However, it lacks clear protocols for situations where a pope becomes severely ill or incapacitated, which can result in uncertainty regarding the leadership of the Catholic Church during such times. Currently, Pope Francis is hospitalized due to a serious lung infection but remains officially in command at the age of 88.
This ongoing hospitalization has prompted significant inquiries regarding the implications of a potentially prolonged loss of consciousness. Questions arise as to whether Pope Francis might consider resigning, similar to Pope Benedict XVI’s decision. As of Monday, this hospital visit will mark ten days, matching the length of a previous hospital stay in 2021 for surgery related to his colon.
Francis’s health challenges and advancing age have heightened interest in the operational dynamics of papal authority and its succession. Notably, there’s recognition of a significant gap in legislation concerning decision-making should a pope become so incapacitated that he is unable to fulfill his duties.
Despite being pope, Francis has delegated the day-to-day administration of the Vatican to a team of officials who can continue operations regardless of his status. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state, plays a crucial role in this delegated leadership, while preparations for upcoming events such as the 2025 Holy Year continue without interruption.
While canon law provides guidelines for a bishop who cannot manage his diocese due to illness, it does not extend similar contingencies for a pope. Canon 412 allows for a diocese to be considered “impeded,” enabling an auxiliary bishop or vicar general to take over. However, no formal standards exist for a pope deemed “impeded.” Canon 335 notes that in scenarios where the Holy See is “vacant or entirely impeded,” governance remains unchanged, but it lacks explicit definitions or instructions regarding a pope’s incapacity.
In response to this legislative void, a group of canon lawyers has been working on proposing regulations for circumstances when a pope may be unable to govern due to medical issues. Their initiative aims to address the likelihood that future popes might find themselves alive yet unable to perform the functions of the papacy. They advocate for the formal acknowledgment of a “totally impeded see” and the need for a power transfer to maintain unity within the church.
Under this proposed framework, the governance of the church would transition to the College of Cardinals. In the event of temporary incapacity, a commission would be appointed to oversee operations, with assessments of the pope’s health conducted biannually.
The dialogue surrounding this initiative initially faced criticism for tackling sensitive issues. According to one coordinator, Geraldina Boni, a shift towards acceptance occurred over time. Even Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, who serves as a canon lawyer for Pope Francis, acknowledged the necessity for established guidelines in cases where a pope becomes “irreversibly” incapacitated.
Concerns arise regarding how to officially determine when a pope can no longer govern. There are instances where strategic medical consultations could inform decisions about a pope’s status, leading to a conclave should the need for succession arise.
In a disclosure from 2022, Francis revealed that he had drafted a resignation letter shortly after his election, intended for use in the event of severe medical incapacitation. He entrusted this document to then-secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, with the assumption that it would be passed on to Parolin’s office. The content and validity of this letter remain unclear, particularly regarding adherence to canon law, which mandates that a resignation must be “freely and properly manifested.”
Historically, Pope Paul VI similarly contemplated a resignation in the event of serious illness, yet he continued his papacy for another 13 years without invoking that letter.
The transition of papal authority formally occurs only upon the death or resignation of a pope. The subsequent period, known as “sede vacante” or “empty See,” is characterized by a series of official rituals and administrative protocols to manage the church’s affairs until a new pope is elected. During this time, the camerlengo oversees finances and administration, confirming the pope’s death and preparing for the conclave. This role does not extend to papal sickness.
Additionally, the dean of the College of Cardinals holds responsibilities specific to this transition, but those roles do not apply while a pope is merely sick. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who has recently had his term extended by Francis, continues to lead the College despite the natural progression of roles that should ideally follow a vacancy scenario.