New
coughing attacks
forced the Pope to suspend the reading of his speech this Saturday during the ceremony in the hall of the Blessings of the oath of the president of the Tribunal, Giuseppe Pignatone, which inaugurated the judicial in the Vatican.
“I thank you all for your presence and I have prepared a speech, but you are sorry for my inability to read it due to bronchitis,” Francisco said.
An official, Monsignor Ciampanelli, who accompanies him in all public ceremonies, read the speech and the ceremony continued.
The Pope did not suspend the morning audiences, which included a meeting with the German Prime Minister, Olaf Scholz.
"During the cordial conversations at the Secretariat of State, satisfaction was expressed for the good relations and fruitful cooperation between the Holy See and Germany, highlighting the importance of the Christian faith in German society," the Vatican said in a statement.
Among "the topics of common interest" addressed was "the migration phenomenon."
Pope Francis received the head of government of Germany, Olaf Scholz, at the Vatican this Saturday.
Photo: AFP
"In addition, special reference was made to the conflicts in Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, and the consequent commitment to peace, in the tireless search for a diplomatic solution as soon as possible after the cessation of hostilities," the text added. .
The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said early: "I saw the Pope last night and he is fine, he told me that the medical checks he had today (at the Gemmelli hospital - Tiberanine Island, very close to the Holy See) had been positive.”
But
we are no longer talking about a simple flu.
The hopes that the hospital checks, especially with a Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) that monitored the condition of the lungs, had created peace of mind.
Long course of bronchitis
But this Saturday morning it was shown that the Pope's condition has not changed.
Since November he has suffered from bronchitis
that forced him to cancel his trip to the important United Nations conference on Climate Change that was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Instead, it was his number two, Parolin.
Two weeks ago the Pope began the spiritual exercises of Lent in the Vatican, which allowed him a restful isolation, without efforts such as the speeches that make him cough.
This Saturday, however, Francis himself confirmed that the bronchitis that attacks his lungs continues and a
moderate concern
is consolidated in the Vatican circles, due to the fear that bronchitis will lead to pneumonia, a true test for an elderly Pope of 87 years. .
Last year, at the end of March, the pontiff had to be hospitalized for several days for pneumonia, but after a treatment with antibiotics he was able to resume his usual activities in a short time.
In any case, a series of operations in recent years, and his chronic knee problems due to his osteoarthritis, have forced him on more than one occasion to suspend activities, amid fears and concern.
C.B.