Prayers continue to pour in for Pope Francis from around the world, from his native Argentina to the seat of Sunni Islam in Cairo to schoolchildren in Rome.

The Vatican said Francis remained in critical condition Sunday with blood tests showing early kidney failure.

Pope Francis kidney failure
What they’re saying:
Some blood tests showed “initial, mild, kidney failure,” but doctors said it was under control, The Vatican said, and that Francis remained alert and “well-oriented.” He attended Mass earlier in the day.

Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis would be the onset of sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. As of Friday, there was no evidence of any sepsis, and Francis was responding to the various drugs he is taking.

Pope Francis tweet
Earlier on Sunday, In a message on X, Pope Francis thanked the world for all the “messages of affection.”

What they’re saying:
“I have recently received many messages of affection, and I have been particularly struck by the letters and drawings from children. Thank you for your closeness, and for the consoling prayers I have received from all over the world!” he said.

Will Pope Francis resign?
Big picture view:
Pope Francis’ hospitalization has fueled speculation about his possible resignation if he becomes irreversibly sick and unable to carry on.

The speculation carries more weight since Pope Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned in 2013.

Balloons and candles left by the faithful below the sculpture of St. John Paul II are seen at the main entry of the Policlinico A. Gemelli Hospital where Pope Francis is being treated for a double pneumonia on February 23, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo

Pope Benedict became the first pope in 600 years to retire when he concluded that he didn’t have the physical strength to carry on the rigors of the globe-trotting papacy.

Can Pope Francis resign?
What we know:
Yes, Pope Francis is allowed to resign.

In the Catholic Church, the official laws on all matters are codified in the Latin edition of the Code of Canon Law. The option of a pope to resign is explicitly written into the Canon Code of Law, according to the Catholic News Service (CNS).

The only conditions are that the decision be made freely and be publicly manifested. There is no specific person or body that must accept a pope’s resignation.

“If it should happen that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that he make the resignation freely and that it be duly manifested, but not that it be accepted by anyone,” the law states.

Pope Francis’ stance on resigning
What we don’t know:
It’s unclear whether Pope Francis is considering stepping aside.

Francis has previously said he would consider retiring, after Benedict “opened the door” to the resignation of modern-day popes, but Francis has shown no signs of stepping down and has asserted recently that the job of pope is for life.

Francis also confirmed in 2022 that, shortly after being elected pontiff in 2013, he wrote a resignation letter in case medical problems impeded him from carrying out his duties.

The other side:
“Everything is possible,” said Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, the archbishop of Marseille, France, when asked last week about the possibility of Pope Francis resigning. Another cardinal, Gianfranco Ravasi, suggested that it was more than just a possibility.

What happens if Pope Francis resigns?
Dig deeper:
In the modern history of the Catholic Church, only the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013 serves as precedent. When he resigned, his intentions were made public and the process began to elect his successor, just as would have happened if he had died.

Pope Francis suggests Israel’s action are ‘immoral’
Pope Francis is calling for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute as ‘genocide.’ Francis said, “Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been immoral and disproportionate, and its military has gone beyond the rules of war.”

The same can be expected if Pope Francis resigns – a conclave will be convened to elect a successor.

What is a conclave?
What’s next:
When a pope dies or resigns, cardinals are summoned to Rome to participate in a conclave, or secret meeting, to vote for a new pope.

A candidate must get two-thirds of the vote to become pope. The voting cardinals must be under 80 years old.

Four rounds of balloting take place every day until a candidate receives the necessary number of votes.