Pope Francis presided over his weekly public audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, but said he still does not feel well and asked an advisor to read his statements since he can only speak above a whisper.
Francisco, who will turn 87 on Dec. 17 and who had part of a lung removed when he was young, coughed toward the end of the hour-long hearing as he made some closing remarks, despite rising from his chair to give his remarks. blessings. .
In a low voice, barely above a whisper, Francis told those present that he “was not feeling well,” so the reading of his speech would not “sound good.”
Still, Francis spoke at the end of the audience, expressing his satisfaction with the truce in the fighting between Israel and Hamas, and said he hopes the pause continues “so that all the hostages are freed” and so that there is access to aid. humanitarian. needed in Gaza.
“They lack bread, water, people are suffering,” lamented Francisco.
On Tuesday, the Vatican announced that doctors had asked the Pope, who suffers from lung inflammation that causes breathing problems, not to make his planned three-day trip to attend the UN climate conference. known as COP28, in Dubai.
The trip would have started on Friday and the Pope would return to Rome on Sunday.
The Holy See’s announcement about the trip cancellation stated that the pope’s health had improved, but noted that Francis has the flu and “inflammation of the respiratory tract.”
The Pope, who has made caring for the environment a priority of his papacy, wants to participate in some way in the COP28 debates to be held in the United Arab Emirates, according to the Holy See.
It was unclear whether Francis would be able to read his speech at the climate conference by video conference or participate in some other way.
The Vatican said the pope accepted the doctors’ request “with great regret.”
Toward the end of Wednesday’s audience, circus performers took the stage to entertain the pope with an acrobatic act, which appeared to amuse Francis, even posing with the group for a photo.
“I want to thank you for this moment of joy,” he said, adding that the circus expresses the human dimension of “simple joy” and asked the audience to applaud.
Francis was hospitalized earlier this year for three days to receive treatment with intravenous antibiotics for what the Vatican said at the time was bronchitis.
The Vatican added that the pontiff is also receiving intravenous antibiotics.
A CT scan, performed at a Rome hospital on Nov. 25, ruled out pneumonia, according to the Vatican.
Source: TSF
