Pope Francis asked for forgiveness on Wednesday for having presided over the general audience seated, still greatly diminished by knee pain which forced him to cancel several engagements recently.
“I beg your pardon because I will greet you seated”, he launched to his faithful at the end of the audience in Saint Peter’s Square, at the end of which the sovereign pontiff traditionally likes to take a walkabout.
“This knee is slow to heal and I can’t stay up for long. I apologize, thank you,” he added to applause.
85-year-old Argentinian Pope Francis, who began his tenth year of pontificate in March, suffers from “acute” pain in his right knee, which has recently prevented him from participating in certain events or presiding over celebrations.
It was with great difficulty in getting around that he made a two-day visit to the Mediterranean island of Malta earlier this month.
He also suffers from hip pain which makes him limp and underwent a delicate colon operation in July 2021.
The pope told the Argentine daily La Nacion last week to treat his pain, due to a ruptured ligament, by placing ice on his knee and taking painkillers.
His pain should disappear eventually, according to his doctors, but the healing process “is slow at his age”.