Pope Says He‘ll Slow Down or Retire: ’You Can Change a Pope’

Pope Says He‘ll Slow Down or Retire: ’You Can Change a Pope’
Pope Francis speaks to journalists aboard the papal flight back from Canada on July 30, 2022, where he paid a six-day pastoral visit. Guglielmo Mangiapane/Pool via AP
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ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE—Pope Francis acknowledged Saturday that he can no longer travel like he used to because of his strained knee ligaments, saying his weeklong Canadian pilgrimage was “a bit of a test” that showed he needs to slow down and one day possibly retire.

Speaking to reporters while traveling home from northern Nunavut, the 85-year-old Francis stressed that he hadn’t thought about resigning but said “the door is open” and there was nothing wrong with a pope stepping down.