With his open-minded takes on marriage annulments, nontraditional families, as well as his concern with economic inequalities, Pope Francis has proven to be a popular pontiff both in and outside of catholic circles.

But despite his popularity, the pope has suggested that rather than remain at the Vatican for the rest of his life he just might resign his papacy like his predecessor Pope Benedict did.

During an interview with Mexican television, marking the second anniversary of his election, the Argentinian-born pope said, "I have the feeling that my pontificate will be brief. Four or five years; I do not know, even two or three."

According to BBC, when Pope Benedict made the decision to leave his position in 2013, Francis saw the act as a "courageous" one.

As he explained to the Televisa channel, "Benedict should not be considered an exception, but an institution. Maybe he will be the only one for a long time, maybe he will not be the only one.”

Francis elaborated that with Benedict’s departure “an institutional door has been opened."

Pope Francis has in the past hinted that he could retire, but the decision to do so would likely have nothing to do with his age, as he is opposed to the notion of an age limit for leaders of the Catholic Church.

On this subject he said, "To say that one is in charge up to 80 years, creates a sensation that the pontificate is at its end and that would not be a good thing."

Pope Francis, the first Latin American to lead the church, was elected Benedict XVI's successor on March 13, 2013, by a papal conclave.

Francis modestly said that he was surprised by the decision and in fact carried with him to Rome only a small suitcase, expecting that he would return home to Buenos Aires.