Pope Francis asks aide to read ceremonial speech due to bronchitis
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[March 02, 2024]
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis, who has been suffering
from influenza, said he delegated the reading of a speech at a ceremony
on Saturday to an aide because he was unable to read it due to
bronchitis.
"I have prepared a speech but as you can see I am unable to read it
because of bronchitis. I have asked Monsignor (Filippo) Ciampanelli to
read it for me," a hoarse-sounding pope said. |
![](../images/030224PIX/news_t42.jpg)
Pope Francis skips readings due to bronchitis at the meeting for the
inauguration of the Judicial Year of the Tribunal of the Vatican City
State, at the Vatican March 2, 2024. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS |
The speech was for the opening ceremony of the judicial year of
the Vatican tribunal.
Afterwards, the pope was able to meet German Chancellor Olaf
Scholz during an audience at the Vatican.
Francis, who is 87, has had a number of health issues recently.
On Wednesday he made a brief trip to a Roman hospital for a
check up after he missed reading at his weekly audience, saying
he had "a bit of cold".
He cancelled appointments on Monday and last Saturday due to
what the Vatican said was a mild flu, but he gave his regular
weekly address to the crowds in St Peter's Square on Sunday.
The pope was forced to cancel a planned trip to a COP28 climate
meeting in Dubai at the start of December because of the effects
of influenza and lung inflammation.
In January, he was unable to complete a speech owing to "a touch
of bronchitis". Later that month he said he was doing better
despite "some aches and pains".
As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had part of a
lung removed.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Mike Harrison)
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