Pope Francis will hold the first of three extraordinary meetings of the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church on Saturday as speculation about his possible retirement continues.
The supreme pontiff will formally elevate 20 men to the rank of cardinal at the first extraordinary consistory on Saturday, with 16 of those aged under 80 and therefore able to vote in a papal election.
The appointment of new cardinal-electors has fueled speculation that the 85-year-old pope may decide to retire, as his predecessor Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI did in 2013.
However, there are other reasons Church observers have been discussing Francis' possible departure. It is unusual to hold consistories in August - they are generally held in February, June or November.
The pope will hold a second consistory directly after the first so that the cardinals can consent to the canonization of two new saints, but it's the consistory scheduled for August 29 to 30 that has garnered the most attention.
One of the newly created cardinals is Robert McElroy, bishop of San Diego and the newest American cardinal. He is considered a close ally of the pope and at 68, he's young enough to vote in conclave.
On Sunday, before the third consistory begins, Francis will visit the Italian town of L'Aquila, which has a special association with the medieval Pope Celestine V, who resigned the papacy in 1294 after about six months in office.
Celestine V was cited when Benedict XVI chose to step down almost a decade ago and speculation has been rife that Francis is visiting L'Aquila ahead of an announcement of his own retirement.
The two-day meeting of cardinals set to begin on August 29 is officially focused on the new constitution of the Roman Curia, Praedicate evangelium. The Curia is in effect the governing body of the Church.
However, Francis could use the meeting as an opportunity to announce his resignation, though no formal announcement has been made about the pope's intentions and he has previously sought to tamp down speculation about his future.
Last month, Francis acknowledged that he needed to slow down or face the possibility of giving up the papacy.
"I think that at my age and with this limitation, I have to save myself a little bit to be able to serve the church. Or, alternatively, to think about the possibility of stepping aside," the pontiff said.
The pope has recently taken to using a wheelchair due to pain in his knee and was forced to cancel several events during a trip to Africa in June. He also suffers from sciatica - a chronic condition that causes Francis pain in his hip.
Resignation is extremely unusual for a pope and was practically unknown until Benedict XVI chose to retire. Most popes in recent centuries have vacated their office only through death.
There are also no formal rules in place regarding former popes, their role and how the Church might handle the unprecedented situation of two former living pontiffs. But Francis has the ability to introduce rules on the matter before a potential resignation.
If the pontiff does resign, the cardinal-electors will meet to elect his successor. After the August consistory, there will be 132 such cardinals and 83 of those will have been appointed by Francis. That represents 62 percent of the electorate and has added to speculation that the pope is trying to shape the conclave that will choose his successor.
When Benedict XVI resigned in 2013, it took just 13 days for the papal conclave to meet and elect Pope Francis.
Uncommon Knowledge
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About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more
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