Pope Francis: I only have a couple more years left as pope

Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica
(Image credit: Illustrated | enjoynz/iStock, Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Friday marks the second anniversary of Pope Francis' election, but the pontiff isn't sure how much longer he'll hold the title.

"I have a feeling my pontificate will be brief: four or five years, I don't know. Two years have already gone by," Pope Francis, 78, said in an interview with Mexico's Televisa. "It is a vague feeling I have that the Lord chose me for a short mission. I am always open to that possibility."

Francis is known for being more progressive than previous popes, and he has hinted in the past that he wants resignation to be a more accepted option for popes. "Benedict should not be considered an exception, but an institution," Francis said in 2013.

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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.