Popes who resign are humble, Francis says in central Italy visit

Pope Francis pauses as he meets the faithful gathered at Piazza Duomo in L'Aquila, Italy August 28, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli REFILE - CORRECTING INFORMATION

L'AQUILA, Italy (Reuters) - Pope Francis, who has often said he may step down in the future if bad health impedes him from leading the Catholic Church, on Sunday praised the humility of one of the few popes in history to resign willingly instead of ruling for life.

L'Aquila, a central Italian city which Francis visited briefly, is the burial place of Celestine V, who resigned as pope in 1294 after only five months to return to his life as a hermit, establishing a papal prerogative.