On Saturday, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, took Francis’ place to celebrate Mass for an anti-abortion group. On Sunday, another Vatican official, Cardinal Michael Czerny, is stepping in for the pope to celebrate a Holy Year Mass for volunteers.

With Pope Francis' health concerns mounting, discussions within the Vatican suggest he may consider stepping down—an event that would mark only the third papal resignation in over 600 years.

As Pope Francis has battled double pneumonia in hospital for nearly three weeks, talk of the 88-year-old pontiff's death or resignation has become almost commonplace. Some newspapers have published articles informing their readers about what to expect during the papal funeral.