FILE – Pope Francis receives flowers during the Weekly General Audience in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Feb. 15, 2023. Pope Francis has made clear in remarks published Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023 in a Jesuit magazine his belief that the position he holds is for life and that the resignation of Benedict XVI was an exception. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis made clear in remarks published Thursday in a Jesuit magazine his belief that his position is for life and that Benedict XVI’s resignation was an exception.

“At the moment I don’t have it on the agenda,” Francis told Civita Cattolica, in his clearest statement on the subject to date.

He added that the resignation letter he wrote two months after the election was overly cautious.

“I did so in case I suffered from a health problem that prevented me from exercising my ministry and I was not fully conscious and able to resign,” the pontiff said. “But that doesn’t mean at all that resigning popes should become, let’s say, a ‘fad’, something normal.”

He added that the pontifical ministry must be “ad vitam” -for life- and “I see no reason why it should not be”.

The pope made these remarks during his recent trip to Africa.

In previous remarks, Francis praised the decision of his predecessor, Pope Benedict, to step down because he believed that due to his advanced age he would not be able to fulfill his duties. Benoît died in January, almost 10 years after his resignation.

Francisco, 86, had a bowel operation in 2021 and knee pain for months forces him to use a wheelchair.

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