New Delhi, March 2 -- As Pope Francis' continues to recover from hospitalisation due to a respiratory crisis during his battle with double pneumonia, speculations about his potential resignation have emerged.

If Pope Francis, 88, decides to step down, he will be second only to his predecessor, Benedict XVI, the first pope to resign in 600 years.

Experts consider Pope Francis' resignation unlikely unless he faces a long-term debilitating condition that impedes his duties.

Talking to CNN, papal biographer Austen Ivereigh said he thinks the only circumstances under which the pope would consider resignation, as he has said, would be if he had a long-term degenerative or debilitating condition which prevented him from fully carrying out the...