By La Croix (with AFP)
Pope Francis, still suffering from bronchitis, had a clergyman read the catechesis in his place during his Wednesday general audience Feb 12.
After reading a few lines of his catechesis, the pope said, “I will now ask the priest to read. With my bronchitis, I still can’t. I hope I will be able to next time. “
However, he spoke again at the end of the audience to greet Italian pilgrims and once again ask for prayers for world peace.
A “bad cold”
A week earlier, during the general audience, Pope Francis had already asked an assistant to read the catechesis, saying he had a “bad cold” that was making it “difficult” for him to speak.
The next day, the Vatican announced that Francis would hold his scheduled audiences from home over the following two days due to bronchitis.
The pope, elected in 2013, has faced various health issues in recent years: knee and hip pain, colon inflammation, and surgery for a hernia. Francis, who had part of a lung removed when he was young, was hospitalized for three nights in 2023 due to bronchitis, which was treated with antibiotics. – La Croix International
