Pope Francis announced on Sunday that he would not participate in a traditional six-day spiritual retreat with the Vatican government in Ariccia, south of Rome, due to a "cold". "Unfortunately, a cold forces me not to participate this year" in this Lenten retreat, he said Sunday at the end of the Angelus prayer, delivered in St. Peter's Square from the window of the apostolic palace.
Addressing the faithful, the 83-year-old pope had to stop twice due to coughing fits. "There is no evidence that leads us to diagnose anything other than a slight indisposition," the Vatican spokesman told AFP on Sunday, in response to questions from some media in the midst of a new coronavirus epidemic.
"Slight indisposition"
The sovereign pontiff was to accompany Ariccia for six days of "spiritual exercises", starting this Sunday, members of the Roman Curia leading "Vatican ministries". The pope was to celebrate a daily mass in a chapel there before listening to the teachings of a Jesuit preacher alongside the members of the Curia.
The Argentinian Jorge Bergoglio had already lightened his program since Thursday, officially due to a "slight indisposition". He had already appeared in a cold on Wednesday during two outdoor events, which led him to cancel the following day his presence at a mass in the monumental major basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome. For three days, he gave up his official “audiences” at the Apostolic Palace to stay at the Sainte-Marthe hotel residence, located in Vatican City and where he lives.
He nevertheless continued to celebrate the morning mass there and to receive visitors, welcoming for example Saturday the head of the Greek-Catholic Church of Ukraine, Mgr Sviatoslav Shevchuk. The pope, whose lung was reached during his youth, and who has hip problems, very rarely cancels an appointment.
World
Sexual abuse in the Church: The Vatican establishes a group of mobile experts
World
Vatican: Pope Francis, "slightly indisposed", cancels his presence at a mass
- Pope
- Vatican
- World
- Pope Francis
- Sickness