Pope Francis apologized to his loyal flock after his sciatica forced him to remain seated while speaking before a Catholic Church tribunal in Vatican City.
The 84-year-old Argentinian has had to cancel a number of recent events due to the nerve pain condition.
“I would like to speak to you standing up, but sciatica is a tricky guest,” the Pope told members of the Roman Rota on Friday, Agence France-Presse said.
“So I apologize and will speak while seated,” he told tribunal members as he marked the beginning of the Holy See’s judicial year.
Francis skipped the New Year’s Masses at St. Peter’s Basilica and two misses earlier this week because of a battle with the chronic condition that causes pain in his hip.
He postponed his New Year’s wish to the ambassadors on Monday, but was able to lead a Sunday afternoon prayer as planned.
In 2013, he told reporters that he had an attack of sciatica after being elected head of the Catholic Church earlier that year.
“The worst that happened, excuse me, was an attack of sciatica, actually, which I had the first month because I was sitting in an armchair doing interviews and it hurt,” he said at the time, according to the French. . news agency.
“Sciatica is very painful, very painful. I don’t wish it on anyone. “
The Pope is slightly limped as a result of the condition but is otherwise in good health.
His current medical attack has raised questions about his planned trip to Iraq in March.
He and his predecessor, Pope Benedict, were given the coronavirus vaccine earlier this year.
With pole wires