Pope Francis injured in Vatican fall for second time in less than six weeks

Pope Francis fell on Thursday, causing a contusion to his right forearm which is not broken, the Vatican announced in a brief statement. “This morning, due to a fall at the Sainte-Marthe residence”where he lives, “Pope Francis suffered a bruise on his right forearm, without fracture”indicates the press release. “The arm was immobilized as a precaution”concludes the brief press release.

The Argentine Pope received in audience this Thursday a delegation of Albanian religious and another of Argentine religious. Hip problems, knee pain, operations, respiratory infections: Pope Francis, who turned 88 in mid-December, has shown declining health in recent years and suffered several alerts, which have not prevented him from maintaining an agenda in charge at the Vatican.

The head of the Catholic Church has been using a wheelchair since 2022 due to persistent knee pain, and must rely on a cane during his rare moments of standing. In recent months, he has been forced on several occasions to delegate the reading of his speeches or even to cancel his participation in events for health reasons.

Busy schedule

In December 2023, François, who underwent a partial removal of a lung in his youth, had to cancel a visit to Dubai to participate in the UN COP28 on the climate due to bronchitis. At the end of March, the Argentine Jesuit had to cancel at the last minute his participation in the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome, before presiding over the Easter celebrations two days later.

In June 2023, Jorge Bergoglio was hospitalized for 10 days at the Gemelli hospital in Rome after an abdominal hernia operation under general anesthesia. He was also hospitalized there in March 2023 for three days for bronchitis and around ten days in July 2021 after a colon operation. On December 7, François hit his chin on his bedside table during a fall which resulted in a bruise.

Despite these repeated medical alerts, François maintains a busy schedule, sometimes with around ten appointments in the same morning. He also continues to travel and in September even made the longest trip of his pontificate, a 12-day journey to the borders of Southeast Asia and Oceania.