Deny News of Resignation, Pope Francis Says He Is Living A Normal Life After Surgery

Pope Francis greets the faithful from his official vehicle. (Source: mechaarthd.com)

JAKARTA - World Catholic Church leader Pope Francis is not thinking of resigning, and is living a "completely normal life" after bowel surgery in July, he said in a radio interview broadcast on Wednesday.

Speaking to Spanish radio network COPE, Pope Francis, 84, dismissed Italian newspaper reports that he might step down from his current position.

"I don't know where they got it last week that I would resign. It didn't even cross my mind", Pope Francis said, citing Reuters, September 1.

On the occasion, Pope Francis also said he would almost certainly attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland in November.

In the interview, Pope Francis thanked a male nurse at the Vatican for convincing him to undergo surgical removal of part of his colon instead of continuing treatment with antibiotics and other drugs, as some doctors prefer.

"He saved my life", Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis, who was elected pope in 2013, underwent surgery on July 4 and spent 11 days in the hospital. He is known to suffer from symptoms of diverticular stenosis, a narrowing of the large intestine.

"Now I can eat everything, which was previously impossible. I live a completely normal life", she said, adding that 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his intestine had been removed.

Denying the news of his resignation, Pope Francis outlined the full schedule of his activities soon. Pope Francis has scheduled trips to Hungary and Slovakia from September 12-15, as well as visits to Cyprus, Greece, and Malta, including his attendance at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) meeting in Scotland.

Earlier, the Libero newspaper reported on August 23, there was a 'conclave in the air' at the Vatican, a reference to a secret meeting where cardinals elect a new pope when the incumbent dies or resigns. It said Pope Francis had spoken of stepping down, possibly coinciding with his 85th birthday in December.

"Whenever a pope is sick, there is always a breeze or a storm about the conclave", Pope Francis told COPE.