In an interview that was released on Sunday, Pope Francis disclosed that immediately after being elected pope in 2013, he composed a letter of resignation in case he was unable to perform his duties due to illness.

Francis claimed to have given the memo to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who was the Vatican secretary of state at the time, in an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC. The pontiff continued by assuming Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the prelate who presently holds the position of Vatican No. 2, has the formal directive at hand.

Francis, who turned 86 on Saturday, underwent surgery to treat a bowel constriction in 2021. He has since struggled with knee pain that has forced him to use a wheelchair for months.

He’s been getting around in public less and less with the wheelchair and more with a cane lately.

Francis responded, “In practice, there is already a rule,” when asked what happens when a pope’s ability to perform his duties is unexpectedly compromised by illness or an accident.

Francis acknowledged that he had signed his renunciation before becoming pope, saying, “I have already signed my renunciation.”

“I signed it and said: ‘If I should become impaired for medical reasons or whatever, here is my resignation. Here you have it,’” he said, MAKING REFERENCE to Cardinal Bertone, who stepped down as secretary of state in October 2013, in the first months of Francis’ papacy.

A papal resignation must be “freely and properly declared,” according to Catholic church law. In February 2013, Benedict shocked the world by announcing his resignation to a group of prelates at the Vatican.