Pope Francis: Di pontiff say im fit step down but time never reach

Pope Francis don tok say di time fit come soon wen im go need consider stepping down. E say im go step down if e feel say im health no allow am to serve di way e suppose serve.

Im make di statement at di end of one trip to Canada, wia im apologise to indigenous pipo. Di trip involve extensive travel and long days.

Di 85-year-old pontiff say right now, im wan continue wit im duties and e go dey guided by God to know wen im go step down, if im step down at all.

"No be catastrophe to change Pope, no be taboo," e tell journalists from a wheelchair on di plane from Canada Arctic territory to Rome.

"Di door [to retire] dey open - na normal option. But until today, I neva knock on dat door. I neva feel di need to tink about dis possibility - dat one no mean say in two days' time I fit no start tink about am."

Over recent months, Pope Francis don suffer ongoing knee trouble wey don impact im movement. E spend much of im visit to Canada on a wheelchair.

But im bin don dismiss speculation about more serious, life-threatening illnesses.

"Dis trip don dey intense," e tok. "I no tink say I fit continue to dey travel wit di same rhythm wey I take travel at my age and wit di limitation of dis knee.

"I either need to save myself a little so I go fit continue to dey serve di Church, or I need to consider di possibility of stepping aside."

Di Pope, wey im predecessor Benedict XVI retire sake of ill health in 2013, tok say im wan visit Ukraine soon, but im need to seek im doctor advice first.

On im visit to Canada, im serious focus na to apologise to indigenous pipo of di region for di wrongs wey di Catholic Church pipo commit against dem.

E appear say di ope interact more wit local pipo, especially survivors of abuse at Catholic schools.

But e get time during some of im formal proceedings wit politicians wen im tiredness on a busy trip dey obvious.

Im speak to journalists on di plane back about some topics and become energetic as im criticise di so called "traditionalists" for di Church - dose pipo wey fit welcome a change in pontiff.

"Church wey no dey evolve na church wey dey go backwards," Pope Francis tok.

"Many pipo wey call demsef traditionalists, dem no be traditionalists, dem just go backwards. Dat na sin.

"Tradition na di living faith of di dead, instead dia attitude na di dead faith of di living. E dey important to understand di role of tradition - one musician dey always tok say di tradition na di guarantee of di future, no be piece wey belong for museum."

Additional reporting by Sara Monetta