Pope Francis’ health appears to be more precarious than initially understood, as revealed after his hospital examination on the preceding day.
During Sunday’s midday prayer in St. Peter’s Square, the 86-year-old pontiff appeared via video link, seated in the chapel of the Vatican guesthouse Santa Marta.
Expressing apologies to the approximately 20,000 gathered pilgrims, he disclosed, “Today I can’t go to the window because I have this problem with inflammation of the lungs,” while gesturing towards his left lung. An infusion access point was visibly present on his hand.
Despite his ailing condition, Pope Francis maintained his commitment to upcoming travel plans. A pre-prepared text was delivered by Italian prelate Paolo Braida, a frequent speechwriter for the Pope.
Francis, acknowledging Braida, mentioned, “He knows these ideas well because he wrote them. He always does it very well.” Braida conveyed the Pope’s interpretation of Sunday’s Gospel and political messages.
Pope Francis, visibly short of breath at times and experiencing bouts of coughing, limited himself to leading the two-minute Angelus prayer. Concluding the session, he, as customary, asked the faithful to pray for him.
Remaining steadfast in his itinerary, Pope Francis confirmed his intent to travel to Dubai despite his health struggles. The announced text stated, “Next weekend I will travel to the United Arab Emirates to speak at the World Climate Summit in Dubai on Saturday.
I thank everyone who is accompanying this journey with their prayers and who committed to saving the common environment.”
In a medical update from the Vatican, it was disclosed that Francis underwent a computer tomography at a Roman clinic the previous day to “eliminate the risk of pulmonary complications.”
Despite initially canceling all appointments on Saturday morning due to a reported “mild flu,” the Pope’s return to the Vatican followed negative results, as stated by the press office.
Pope Francis has experienced fluctuations in his health in recent years, marked by two intestinal operations and a ligament tear in his knee in early 2022.
In February of the same year, he battled a severe cold that prevented him from delivering a prepared speech at an audience for priests and monks from Eastern churches. However, in a November interview with Italian TV station RAI 1, he expressed contentment with his health, stating he was doing well.