Rumours swirling since early May that Pope Francis might retire have been fuelled by an announcement that he will be attending a feast initiated by a 13th-century pope who himself resigned.
Speculation that the 85-year-old might follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Benedict XVI and step down from his post was prompted in early May when he appeared in public using a wheelchair for the first time, after undergoing a minor operation to treat knee pain.
