Vatican City, 17 December, 2023 / 12:00 pm (ACI Africa).
Pope Francis celebrates his 87th birthday on Sunday, Dec. 17, the third Sunday of Advent, as he continues to reign as the oldest pope in the past century and one of the oldest popes in the Church’s history.
As the 266th successor of St. Peter to the papacy, Francis will be the oldest bishop of Rome since Pope Leo XIII, the oldest pope in history, who served until his death in 1903 at the age of 93. Fewer than 10 popes have served at the age of 87. Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, lived until the age of 95 but stepped down from the papacy less than two months before his 86th birthday.
The pontiff commented on his health and his age earlier this week in an exclusive interview with the Mexican news outlet N+, saying that his health has improved but also asking for prayers.
“I need you to pray for my health [because] … old age does not come by itself … it does not make itself up, it presents itself as it is,” Francis said.
The pope has suffered from a series of health issues over the last three years of his papacy but said in an interview that he has not considered resigning. When Benedict resigned in 2013, the former pontiff cited health issues as the primary reason.
