杏MAP导航: My health is better, I have no plans to resign
By Salvatore Cernuzio
Not so much a decision, much less a revolution, it is a promise 杏MAP导航 Francis made to the Virgin Mary: 鈥淚 want to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore. The place is already ready.鈥�
杏MAP导航 Francis, 87 years old next week, on 17 December, revealed his intention to Mexican broadcaster N+, while also explaining that he is working to simplify the funeral rite for popes. The 杏MAP导航 also made clear that, although he thinks about death 鈥� in part due to old age that 鈥渁rrives as it is鈥� 鈥� the idea of resigning is not at all in the plans.
On the contrary, the Holy Father reveals a desire to travel to Belgium in 2024, in addition to 鈥減ending鈥� trips to Polynesia and his native Argentina.
Desire to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore
The interview was conducted by well-known journalist Valentina Alazraki, a veteran Vatican watcher, on the day Mexico celebrates its 鈥渕other,鈥� Our Lady of Guadalupe. The 鈥淢orenita鈥� is indeed present throughout the interview, during which the 杏MAP导航 reiterates his 鈥済reat devotion鈥� to Our Lady. Hence, the choice of St. Mary Major as the place of his eventual burial.
The choice marks a historical novelty, especially with respect to the 杏MAP导航s of the recent past, all of whom were buried in the Vatican Grottoes (the last being Benedict XVI, who died on 31 December 2022). However, the decision to be buried in St Mary Major reinforces the bond with the Liberian Basilica, which the 杏MAP导航 has visited more than 100 times: beginning the day after his election, 14 March 2013; then before and after every international trip; and finally, last week, 8 December, when he went to pay homage with a 鈥淕olden Rose鈥� offered to the Salus Populi Romani, the Marian icon that tradition says was painted by St Luke and that watches over the inhabitants of the City of Rome.
鈥淚t is my great devotion. My great devotion. And before, when I used to come [to Rome, before his election, -ed.], I would always go there on Sunday mornings when I was in Rome, I would stay there for a while. There is a very great bond,鈥� says 杏MAP导航 Francis. He explained that he prepared the rites of the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 funeral with the papal master of ceremonies. 鈥淲e simplified them a lot,鈥� he said. The most recent papal funeral was that of Benedict XVI on 5 January in St Peter鈥檚 Square.
Relationship with Benedict XVI
杏MAP导航 Francis went on to speak about his relationship with his predecessor, who lived for ten years as 杏MAP导航 emeritus, a few days before the first anniversary of Benedict XVI鈥檚 death. 鈥淢y relationship with 杏MAP导航 Benedict was very close. Sometimes I went to consult him. And he, with great wisdom, would give me his opinion. But he would say, 鈥榊ou see [what you think]鈥�, and he would leave it in my hands. He always helped me. He was very generous in this.鈥�
杏MAP导航 Francis described it as a 鈥済race鈥� to have been able to 鈥渂id farewell鈥� to his predecessor, having just heard from a nurse that he was ill and asking for prayers for him during the last general audience in 2022. 鈥淚 went to see him,鈥� he recounts, 鈥淗e was lucid, but he could no longer speak and he was holding my hand, like this. It was beautiful, that farewell. It was beautiful. And after three days he died. Benedict was a great man, a humble, simple man who, when he realized his limitations, had the courage to say enough. I admire this man.鈥�
The 杏MAP导航 said he did not 鈥渘otice鈥� that Benedict was no longer there, in the sense that his departure was a bit like the last years of his life in the Mater Ecclesiae residence: discreet, silent, natural. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 notice. Sometimes I go to pray at the 杏MAP导航s鈥� tombs and pass by his. But I didn鈥檛 notice like the times he was advising me, I didn鈥檛 notice that there was someone else advising me. He had that wisdom of doing things with freedom. But the same as before. Before I had him close and now I have him far away, but with a very great simplicity.鈥�
No plans for resignation
As on other occasions, the 杏MAP导航 said he would not rule out the possibility of one day following in Benedict鈥檚 footsteps, but repeated that now is not the time. A year ago, in an interview with ABC, 杏MAP导航 Francis revealed that at the beginning of his pontificate he had delivered 鈥� as is customary 鈥� a letter of resignation in the event of medical impediment to the then-Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone. That letter remains where it is: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think about it. And I saw Benedict鈥檚 courage when he realized that he could not continue, he preferred to say, 鈥楨nough.鈥� And this is good for me as an example, and I ask the Lord to say, 鈥楨nough,鈥� eventually, but when He wants.鈥�
Old age and health
Asked if it is true, as some critics claim, that after the passing of his predecessor, he has 鈥渂ecome tougher,鈥� while at the same time, his detractors have become 鈥渕ore virulent, more ferocious,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis responded with a joke: 鈥淣o, someone needs to be smacked around a little...鈥�. He makes the comparison with fathers in their relationship with their children: 鈥淪ometimes a lecture is needed, but people are very good in here. I am complicated and sometimes a bit impatient and they put up with me.... The people in the Curia are very good.鈥� 鈥淏ut now you are less strict with them鈥︹�� Alazraki observed, to which the 杏MAP导航 responded, 鈥淚t鈥檚 just that even grandparents get better, it鈥檚 part of the aging of life.鈥�
Speaking of 鈥渙ld age,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 鈥� recently stricken with bronchitis, and having undergone surgery twice in the past two years at Gemelli hospital 鈥� admits the fragility of his health, but is reassuring about his condition. 鈥淚 feel well, I feel better,鈥� he said, while adding, 鈥淚 need you to pray for my health,鈥� because 鈥渙ld age does not come by itself 鈥� it does not make itself up, it presents itself as it is鈥�. On the other hand, he said, 鈥淵ou have to know how to accept the gifts of old age鈥� and 鈥渢hat you can also do very well from another perspective.鈥� 鈥淪ometimes,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 revealed, 鈥渢hey tell me that I am reckless because I feel like doing things and moving about.鈥� It is a sign, he said, that 鈥淚 am quite well.鈥�
Upcoming trips
Bronchitis forced the cancellation of the early December trip to Dubai for Cop28. 鈥淚t is true,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis admitted, 鈥渢hat all trips are now being reconsidered. Those furthest away are reconsidered. There are limits, aren鈥檛 there? The limit that makes you realize that everything here ends and something else begins. Old age makes you mature a lot, it鈥檚 beautiful.鈥�
Although the papal journeys are being re-evaluated, the 杏MAP导航 is still hoping to undertake three visits in the coming year: to Belgium, Polynesia, and Argentina.
The first, to Belgium, where he鈥檚 been invited by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde is 鈥渟afe鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis. The other two are 鈥減ending鈥�: 鈥淲e will see how things go鈥�.
It鈥檚 the first time the 杏MAP导航 has spoken publicly about visiting Polynesia, while he has mentioned the idea of returning to his homeland in almost all the interviews he has given over the past year.
The newly elected President Javier Milei also invited the 杏MAP导航 to Argentina in a telephone conversation after his election victory. Responding to a question about the expressions about the 杏MAP导航 used by the new president himself in the past, 杏MAP导航 Francis said: 鈥淚n the electoral campaign things are said in jest, I say in quotes: they are said seriously, but they are provisional things, things that serve to create a bit of attention, but then fade away by themselves. You have to distinguish a lot between what a politician says in the election campaign and what he actually does afterward, because then comes the moment of concreteness, of decisions.鈥�
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