The head of the Catholic Church worldwide, Pope Francis who turned 86 on Saturday said that he he has signed his resignation letter.

The octogenarian said he made the decision in case poor health stops him from carrying out his duties.

The Pope told Spanish newspaper ABC that he signed his resignation letter and handed it over to the Vatican’s secretary of state, Tarcisio Bertone, before that cardinal’s retirement in 2013.

“I signed the resignation and I told him, ‘In case of medical impediment or whatever, here’s my resignation. You have it,” the pope said.

When the interviewer asked if he wanted that fact to be known, Francis replied: “That’s why I’m telling you.”

He, however stated that he does not know what Bertone did to the letter.

The Pope has been confined to a wheel chair for some months due to an inoperable knee condition which had makes it difficult for him to walk.

Francis has had to limit his activities several times due to his health condition.

In an interview in July he admitted that he needed to slow down. “I think that at my age and with this limitation, I have to save myself a little bit to be able to serve the Church. Or, alternatively, to think about the possibility of stepping aside,” he said.

Video of Pope in wheel chair:

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