At least 11 popes have abdicated papacy, if Francis decides to resign, he will be second in a row

Though rare, the resignation of a pope is not unprecedented. Historical records suggest that up to 10 popes may have resigned, though evidence is limited. If Pope Francis were to step down, he would become the second consecutive pontiff to do so following Benedict XVI’s resignation in 2013.

While papal resignation is rare, it is not unprecedented. Historical records suggest that up to 10 popes may have resigned, though evidence is limited. Among the most notable resignations are Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down during the 15th-century Council of Constance to help end the Western Schism, leading to a new pope’s election in 1417, and Pope Celestine V, whose 1294 resignation earned him a place in Dante’s Inferno.

Most modern popes have viewed resignation as unacceptable. Pope Paul VI famously stated that “paternity cannot be resigned” and warned that setting such a precedent could lead to factions pressuring future popes to resign for reasons beyond health.

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Despite this, the 1917 Code of Canon Law, along with regulations established by Paul VI in 1975 and John Paul II in 1996, permits papal resignation. However, resignations made under fear or fraud are considered invalid, and canon law requires that the resigning pope be of sound mind (Canon 187).

Pope John Paul II took steps to prepare for a potential resignation. In 1989 and 1994, he drafted letters offering to step down if an incurable illness or another grave condition prevented him from fulfilling his duties. The 1989 letter simply stated that in such a scenario, he would renounce his office as Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church

His 1994 letter reflected on whether a pope should resign at age 75, the standard retirement age for bishops, and recalled that he had contemplated resignation two years earlier when he feared he had a malignant tumor. Ultimately, he decided to follow the precedent set by Paul VI, who concluded that a pope should only resign in the case of an incurable illness or an incapacitating condition that rendered him unable to perform his duties.

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Historical documentation of papal resignations is scarce, especially in cases where the departure may have been forced. However, Pope Benedict XVI was clear in his stance on the matter. In Light of the World, he affirmed that a pope could resign if he was no longer physically, mentally, or spiritually capable of fulfilling his office.

At the same time, he rejected resignation simply due to the burdens of the role, emphasising that a pope must endure challenges rather than abandon his responsibilities in times of crisis. He believed resignation should only occur in moments of stability or when continuing in office was no longer possible.