Pope Francis reiterated the belief that his time at the helm of the Catholic Church will be short in an interview published on Tuesday.
“I still have the same feeling,’’ Francis said during an interview with veteran Vatican journalist Valentina Alazraki, who works for Mexican broadcaster, Televisa.
She reminded the pope that in a previous 2015 interview, Francis had said: “I have the feeling that my pontificate will be short. Four or five years, or maybe two or three.’’
In her latest conversation with the pontiff, Alazraki noted that “six years have already passed since Francis’ election in March 2013, which is not such a short time.’’
Francis replied that he did not see his pontificate lasting as long as 20 years.
The pope, 82, had said in the past that the decision by his predecessor Benedict XVI to quit, due to the strains of old age “opened a door’’ to future papal resignations.
In 2014, returning from a trip to South Korea, Francis also hinted at his possible death: “I know this will last a short time, two or three years, and then to the house of the Father.’’
