Speaking to reporters on his way home from northern Nunavut, Francis, 85, stressed he had not considered resigning but said “the door is open” and there was nothing wrong with the pope stepping down. “It’s not strange. It’s not a disaster. You can change the Pope,” he said. “I think at my age and with these restrictions, I should save[my energy] to be able to serve the church or instead consider stepping aside,” he said. It was not the first time Francis had said that – if his health required it – he could follow his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who made history in 2013 by stepping down due to declining physical and mental health. Francis used a wheelchair, walker and cane to get around during his journey. He strained ligaments in his right knee earlier this year, and continued laser and magnetic therapy forced him to cancel a trip to Africa that was scheduled for the first week of July. The trip to Canada was difficult and included several moments when Francis was clearly in pain as he maneuvered himself up and down from chairs. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST At the end of his six-day tour, he appeared in high spirits and full of energy, despite a long day traveling to the edge of the Arctic on Friday to again apologize to indigenous peoples for the injustices they suffered in Canada’s church-based residential schools. Francis ruled out surgery on his knee, saying it wouldn’t necessarily help and noting that “there are still traces” of the effects of going under anesthesia for more than six hours in July 2021 to remove 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his large intestine. . “I will try to continue traveling and being close to people because I believe it is a way of service, to be close. But more than that, I can’t say,” he said on Saturday. Pope Francis: genocide clearly took place at indigenous schools in Canada – video During his six-day “pilgrimage of repentance” across Canada this week, the pope issued a historic apology to First Nations, Métis and Inuit people, who have waited years for such recognition from the head of the 1.3 billion Catholics in the world. On the papal plane, he used the word “genocide” to describe decades of mistreatment and sexual abuse of Canada’s indigenous children, who were removed from their families and culture to attend Church-run state schools. “I didn’t say the word [in Canada] because it didn’t occur to me, but I described the genocide. And I asked for forgiveness for this process which was genocide,” he told reporters. Although Francis’ unprecedented apology was welcomed across Canada, many survivors said much more needed to be done for reconciliation. The trip to Canada was Francis’ 37th international trip since becoming pope in 2013.
