While the Vatican has detailed laws and rituals to ensure the transfer of power when a pope dies or resigns, they do not apply if he is sick or even unconscious. And there are no specific norms outlining what happens to the leadership of the Catholic Church if a pope becomes totally incapacitated.

Who leads the Catholic Church when the Pope is sick? - Nothing has changed in his status, role or power since Francis was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013

The eyes of millions around the world are on Pope Francis who is reported to be in critical condition. Moldova's government, a fierce critic of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, appealed to the country's clergy on Sunday to "tell the truth" about the war,