Pope Francis had to cancel public appearances again due to neuropathic pain.
Francis will not attend three events scheduled for the next few days “due to the recurrence of sciatica,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said on Saturday.
The 84-year-old pontiff will continue on Saturday with Angelus, delivered from the Apostolic Library instead of a window near St. Peter’s Square, due to the reappearance of the virus, but will not officiate Mass in the Vatican Basilica on Sunday or a service prayer every night in the Basilica of San Pablo to close the week. He will also not chair a meeting with the diplomatic corps at the Holy See, which is set to take place on Monday and will be rescheduled, the Vatican said.
Neuropathic pain also forced the pope to miss New Year’s ceremonies at St. Peter’s Basilica.
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Francisco’s exacerbation of sciatica raises questions about the planned trip to Iraq on March 3-8, a visit that had already been called into question by the pandemic.
The papal journey is difficult in any circumstance, with numerous daily events, long Masses, reception lines and multiple trips by car and plane.
Francisco spoke publicly about his sciatica, a type of back pain caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve that runs from the spine to the thighs.