A traditional Latin Mass at the Vatican on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. In the event of the pope’s temporary hospitalization, the Vatican’s sprawling administration runs on its own. (Elisabetta Povoledo/The New York Times) By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO For at least 90 minutes on Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV was unconscious under general anesthetic, raising the question of what happens when a pope is incapacitated and cannot lead the Catholic Church. The short answer is nothing. The church has rules for some…
