ieExplains: When a pope is ill or can’t fulfill his duties, who steps in?
Pope Francis has been at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since February 14, where he is being treated for double pneumonia and other complications. File picture: Franco Origlia/Getty Images
For more than two weeks, eyes have been on the Vatican, awaiting news about Pope Francis’ health. The pope has been at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since February 14, 2025, being treated for double pneumonia and other complications.
When a pope is ill, resigns or passes away, who steps in? And who else helps lead the Holy See? Daniel Speed Thompson, a theologian at the University of Dayton, offers some insight into Vatican City.
