Will Pope Francis resign?

Francis's predecessor, Joseph Ratzinger, resigned from his office in 2013. Since then, the more than 700-year-old taboo on stepping down as head of the Roman Catholic Church has been broken. Thus, resigning is a real possibility. And if the Pope keeps it open, the Vatican gossip circuit will soon start. That seems to be the case at the moment.

During a private meeting with Italian bishops in the Vatican on June 8, the Pope was asked whether he would undergo surgery for his painful knee. The knee has forced Francis to use a wheelchair for over a month. In addition, it compelled him to cancel a planned trip to Africa. Pope Francis answered that he would rather step down than undergo another surgery.

Once leaked to the Vatican press, that statement became the reason for speculations by media worldwide.

Are the new Cardinals a sign of upcoming resignation?

Different Vatican watchers pointed at the upcoming Consistory of August 26, which will meet at the request of the Pope. At the Consistory, the Pope will appoint 21 new cardinals. Of them, 16 will be younger than 80 years of age. That means that they are allowed to vote in the first Conclave that will take place. Eleven of the new cardinals will be from Asia and Africa.

In the days after, the cardinals – who are present anyways – will gather in an extraordinary meeting dedicated to the reformation of the Curia, the organisation of the Church.

The reformation of the Curia is a favourite topic of the Head of the Roman Catholic Church. As a foreigner from Argentina, he has already dealt with several wrongs. One example of malpractices was the secret speculations with funds of the Vatican and shady figures of Curia Cardinal Giovanni Becciu, which cost the Roman Catholic church dozens of millions. Or the former Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who used funds destined for a children's hospital to renovate his apartment in Vatican City.

According to some Vaticanists, Pope Bergoglio wants to realise some of the main points of his policies first – a more international corps of cardinals and a reformed Curia – before stepping down. Because he is in a hurry, this would have to take place in August already. That is a very unusual time for meetings in the Vatican because of the scorching heat in Rome.

During the same days, the Pope will visit the basilica with the tomb of Celestine V in L'Aquila, the city of earthquakes. That is also seen as a sign of an upcoming resignation.

How serious should we take all of this? Not very, at least according to the Pope himself, who denied all rumours to Brazillian bishops earlier this week. Just like he rejected the same story in an interview with the Spanish radio after a serious bowel operation.

The correspondent of the Roman newspaper Il Messaggero pointed out that the ordination of new cardinals is nothing special but necessary to complement the electoral college of 120 men. The health of the Pope may be deteriorating, but his will is not.