Pope Francis fueled rumors about his future pontificate when he announced that he would visit L’Aquila, central Italy in August to celebrate a feast started by Pope Celestine V. Celestine V was one of few pontiffs to resign before Pope Benedict XVI stepped aside in 2013.
Unsourced speculation has been swirling in Italian and Catholic media about whether Francis, 85, might plan to follow Benedict’s lead. This is despite his mobility issues that have made him use a wheelchair for the past month.
These rumors were confirmed last week by Francis, who announced that a conclave to create 21 new cardinals was scheduled for August 27. Sixteen of these cardinals are younger than 80 years old and can vote in a conclave that will elect Francis’ successor.
Francis will have stacked his College of Cardinals with 83 of 132 voting-age cardinals once they are added to their ranks as princes of Christ’s church. Although it is impossible to predict how cardinals will vote, there are greater chances they will choose a successor who shares Francis’ pastoral priorities.
Francis announced the Aug. 27 convent and also said he would host two days’ talks to inform the cardinals of his recent apostolic constitution reforming Vatican bureaucracy. The document, which takes effect Sunday, allows women in Vatican offices to lead, and imposes term limits for priestly Vatican employees. It also positions the Holy See as an institution at service of local churches rather than vice versa.
Francis was elected pope on the mandate to reform Rome’s Curia. Francis’ primary task as pope is in some ways accomplished now that the nine-year project is complete and at least partially implemented.
All of these factors made Saturday’s routine announcement of L’Aquila’s pastoral visit more speculative than it otherwise might have.
It was notable for the timing: In August and September, the Vatican and other parts of Italy are typically on vacation with no business except essential. Francis may have had some out-of-the ordinary business in mind by calling a major conclave in August to create new cardinals. It brought together churchmen for two days’ talks about implementing his reform, and made a symbolically significant pastoral visit.
“With today’s announcement that @Pontifex will travel to L’Aquila at the very end of August consistory,” tweeted Vatican commentator Robert Mickens. He linked to an essay he published in La Croix International on the rumors surrounding the future pontificate.
The Basilica of L’Aquila houses the tombs of Celestine V and a hermit pope, Celestine V. They were both overworked by their job after he resigned in 1294 after five months. Benedict visited L’Aquila in 2009 after it had been destroyed by an earthquake. He prayed at Celestine’s grave and left his pallium stole there.
The significance of this gesture was not appreciated at the time. Four years later, the 85 year-old Benedict would follow Celestine’s lead and resign. He said he didn’t have the strength of mind and body to continue the rigors associated with the papacy.
