Pope Francis’ Body Property of Vatican

Pope Francis supports the act of organ donation, but he can’t be an organ donor because his body is the property of the Vatican.

6 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THE POPE

Did you know the Pope is head of his own country, has his own hospital, and doesn’t eat in public? Well, now you do. Here are 6 more amazing facts you may not know about the head of the Catholic church.

1. He doesn’t have to be a cardinal or even a priest: Any baptized male can be elected pope. But don’t expect to see just anyone get the gig. The last time a “non-cardinal” was elected pope was in 1378.
2. His organs aren’t going anywhere: The pope isn’t allowed to be an organ donor because his body is the property of the Vatican. Church rules state that after the pontiff dies, he must be buried intact. But that doesn’t mean the current pope is against the idea for everyone else. He even once described organ donation as a “testimony of love for our neighbor.”
3. He’s powerful: In listings of the world’s most powerful people, the pope is almost always in the top five. Of course, in predominately Catholic countries, he ranks even higher.
4. Yes, he goes to confession: In fact, popes are known to confess their sins a lot more often than the average Catholic (who technically are only required to go to confession when they have committed a mortal sin). Recent popes have gone to confession about once a week.
5. He has no material possessions: Although the pope is custodian of the church’s fortune, technically he doesn’t own a thing. Of course, he gets whatever he wants—whenever he wants it.
6. He could even be a teenager: There’s no official age requirement for prospective popes. Although, it’s hard to imagine someone calling an 18- year-old, “Holy Father”.