Vatican Pope Francis with a blue mark on his chin
Pope Francis has suffered a clearly visible bruise on his chin in a minor accident at his home. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni announced that the hematoma was the result of a bruise. The 87-year-old Francis had bumped his head on the bedside table on Friday morning.
07.12.2024, 20:00
SDA
During the ceremony for the appointment of new cardinals in St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday, the bruise on Francis' chin and neck was clearly visible. His appearance initially caused speculation. The Pope appeared slightly exhausted, but completed the ceremonial appointment of the 21 new cardinals as planned.
Francis will be 88 years old on December 17. The Argentinian-born Pope, who has been in office since 2013, has been in increasingly poor health for some time. Due to severe knee pain and a hip condition, Francis now usually sits in a wheelchair during public appearances and only stands for short periods of time.
During a visit to Colombia in 2017, Francis suffered a black eye. Francis wanted to greet a small child from his papamobile. The vehicle braked sharply and the pontiff crashed into a window.
