VATICAN CITY — Back in 2013, during his debut international trip, Pope Francis attracted attention by personally carrying his black leather briefcase as he boarded the Alitalia charter heading to Brazil. This action was noteworthy since traditionally, popes were unaccustomed to carrying bags; indeed, they were carried ceremoniously on thrones until the 1970s. When questioned about the bag’s contents, Francis humorously remarked that it did not contain nuclear codes. He appeared taken aback by the interest in what he considered a common act of an airline passenger simply carrying a briefcase.
“I have always traveled with a bag – it’s normal,” he stated at his initial press conference as pope. “We must embrace the normalcy of everyday life.”
Throughout his 12-year tenure, Pope Francis has endeavored to instill a sense of normalcy in the papacy. Embracing an informal style and eschewing grandiosity, he has maintained the substantial power attributed to Christ’s representative on Earth and the last absolute monarch of Europe.
His recent approach during a five-week hospitalization for pneumonia mirrors this perspective. On Saturday, his medical team announced the routine news that the 88-year-old pope would be discharged the following day. They mentioned he would require two months of rest and recuperation at the Vatican but reassured that he would eventually return to his standard responsibilities overseeing the 1.3 billion-member Catholic Church.
Despite his condition, Francis maintained his leadership remotely during his stay. Between dealing with respiratory issues, spiritual reflection, and physiotherapy, he managed various church matters, including appointing over a dozen bishops, endorsing several new saints, and granting a three-year extension to his reform agenda. When his physical presence was needed, Vatican cardinals represented him.
Managing this duality can be daunting, given the unique nature of papal power: absolute yet seemingly vulnerable during times of illness. Under church canon law, the pope commands “supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the church,” answering only to God with no recourse for his decisions. While not facing re-election or no-confidence motions, the pope’s role historically derives from the 120 cardinal electors who choose him and will ultimately select his successor. Consequently, discussions about conclaves, potential successors, and challenges awaiting the future pope have been prevalent in Rome since Francis’s hospital visit began on February 14.
Aware of this, Francis observes that his illnesses often spark speculation regarding the next pope’s election, potentially relegating him to a lame-duck status as time passes. Reflecting on his 2021 hospital stay, he mentioned discovering secret plans for a conclave, noting, “Some wanted me dead.” More so, prior to his latest hospitalization, an anonymous cardinal had circulated a seven-point memo advocating for a successor to address perceived “confusion, division, and conflict” stemming from Francis’s papacy.
Nonetheless, Pope Francis is candid about his vulnerabilities, sharing his age and infirmity in ways uncommon for public figures who typically associate such admissions with weakening of leadership and authority. Shortly after his election, he approached Argentine doctor and journalist, Dr. Nelson Castro, proposing a book about papal health, inclusive of his own experiences.
“His intent was to present himself as a human first,” Castro remarked. “Popes are often viewed sanctimoniously, yet his openness about his health issues communicated, ‘I’m just like you, confronting similar challenges.’”
Having read and appreciated Castro’s earlier work, “The Sickness of Power,” which explored ailments faced by Argentine leaders and the burdens of leadership, Francis welcomed him to similarly address the health of past popes along with his own in a forthcoming book.
Published in 2021, “The Health of Popes” revealed not only Francis’s physical conditions but also his mental health trials. He disclosed that during his tenure as Jesuit provincial amidst Argentina’s military regime in the 1970s, he sought psychiatric help for his anxiety and fear.
Historically, Jesuits embrace vulnerability as a strength. For Rev. John Cecero, former Jesuit provincial of the northeastern United States, Francis’s openness aligns with his Jesuit education and St. Paul’s teaching that “when I am weak, then I am strong.”
“A hallmark of Jesuit leadership is humility,” Cecero explained. “For individuals, it involves prioritizing the common good over personal interests.”
Despite criticism labeling him as authoritarian or claiming he makes unilateral decisions, Francis embodies Jesuit ideals in his papal leadership. Critics often joke about Jesuit decision-making processes: “I discern, you discern, we discern, … and then I decide.”
Without a doubt, conservative observers have closely watched Francis’s recent hospitalization, speculating about the future of his papacy. Yet, even with limited public engagements, he remains in command of the church, affirms Kurt Martens, a canon law expert at the Catholic University of America.
“We’re used to a visibly active pope,” Martens observed. “But historically, it wasn’t uncommon for popes to appear infrequently.”
A lack of public appearances led some to question the credibility of the only photo of Francis released by the Vatican during his hospital stay, which depicted him praying with his face obscured.
According to Avvenire, the Italian bishops’ newspaper, the photograph is genuine, capturing Francis aiming to guide focus on the essence of faith rather than his personal infirmity.
“If we cannot see his face, what we must look at is precisely what he himself is facing: the altar and the crucifix,” Avvenire declared.
