The Pope, 84, cannot stand during Friday’s audience as he continues to struggle with ‘troublesome’ sciatica
- The Pope spoke at the opening of the Judicial Year of the Holy See on Friday
- He sat there all the time and said his sciatica was a “tough guy.”
- The Pope has had to cancel a number of recent events due to health problems
Pope Francis apologized for sitting down during an audience on Friday, for blaming the ‘troublesome’ sciatica that led him to cancel a number of events.
“I’d love to speak to you standing up, but sciatica is a tough guy,” the 84-year-old told members of the Roman Rota, a leading Catholic church tribunal.
“So I apologize and I will speak while seated,” he added at the meeting that marked the opening of the Holy See’s judicial year.
Pope Francis apologized for staying in an audience on Friday, blaming his ‘troublesome’ sciatica
The Argentinian Pope had to send two Masses on Sunday and Monday and postpone his New Year’s wish
The Argentine Pope was forced to send two Masses on Sunday and Monday and postpone his New Year’s Wish Monday for ambassadors to the Holy See due to an attack of sciatica.
He also skipped the New Year’s Masses at St. Peter’s Basilica due to the chronic nerve disease that causes pain in his hip and for which he wears orthopedic shoes.
He did, however, conduct the Angelus prayer on Sunday afternoon, as planned.
On his way back from a trip to Brazil in 2013, the Pope told reporters about suffering an attack of sciatica in the weeks after he was elected head of the Catholic Church earlier that year.
He also skipped the New Year’s Masses at St. Peter’s Basilica due to the chronic nervous condition
The Pope is slightly limped due to the sciatica, but has generally lived a healthy life
‘The worst that happened – excuse me – was an attack of sciatica – really! – that I had the first month because I was sitting in an armchair doing interviews and it hurt, ‘he said when asked about his time in the office so far.
‘Sciatica is very painful, very painful! I don’t wish it on anyone! ‘
The Pope is slightly limping due to the sciatica, but has generally lived a healthy life, despite having part of his lung removed as a young man after developing pleurisy.
He received the coronavirus vaccine earlier this month alongside his predecessor, former Pope Benedict XVI, who lives in a converted monastery in the Vatican Gardens.