Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 26 : The condition of Pope Francis presently in a hospital in his home country continues to remain critical but stable, said a Cardinal.

Speaking to IANS, an Indian cardinal on condition of anonymity said the Pope continues to remain the same, and as things remain, there is no word on the way ahead.

"The general norm if a Pope decides to step down, like what happened when his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI did in 2013, a meeting of all the cardinals is called and the decision to retire is taken. Even when I say that this is the general norm, it can also happen without the meeting too," said the Cardinal.

"So far no such meeting has been called," said the Indian cardinal who did not wish to be identified.

In India, there are at present four cardinals.

When asked how a Pope is elected, he said the electoral college consists of cardinals and all those below the age of 80 vote for the new Pope.

"All cardinals who have voting rights are eligible to the post of Pope. If my memory is right there are around 130 cardinals who can vote to elect the next Pope, but if one takes the total number of cardinals who are above 80 years, then the number is even more," said the Cardinal.

"Of the four cardinals in India, one of them will cross 80 in May," added the Cardinal.

He also pointed out that the newest Cardinal from Kerala and India is Catholic priest George Jacob Koovakad who was directly elevated to the exalted status of Cardinal in December last year, from a priest, unlike many others who were bishops before their elevation.

"This new cardinal has been based in the Vatican and continues to be there," said the Cardinal.

Incidentally in Kerala, there are three Catholic rites which include the Syro-Malabar, Latin and the Syro Malankara Churches.

These three Churches account for more than 50 per cent of the Christians in Kerala, which constitute about 17 per cent of the 3.30 crore state population.

/IANS