Pope’s trip to Lebanon in June postponed for health reasons-sources
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis’s deliberate journey to Lebanon subsequent month has been postponed as a result of the 85-year-old pontiff has skilled issue strolling not too long ago, sources mentioned on Monday.
In latest weeks, the pope has suffered a flare-up of ache in the fitting knee along with a long-time case of sciatica, which additionally causes ache within the legs.
The June 12-13 journey had been introduced by the Lebanese authorities. The Vatican by no means formally introduced the journey however pope has referred to plans referring to it in latest interviews.
The 2 sources, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t authorised to debate such issues, mentioned the pope’s well being was the primary concern.
A plan for the pope to go from Lebanon to Jerusalem on June 14 to satisfy Kirill, the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, had already been cancelled due to the warfare in Ukraine.
The Lebanon journey will possible happen after the summer season, one supply mentioned.
Francis is because of make two journeys in July, one to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo and the opposite to Canada.
Final Thursday, he used a wheelchair in public for the primary time and has used one since throughout personal and public audiences.
He informed an Italian newspaper final week that he was receiving injections to assist motion of his joints.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Enhancing by Alison Williams and Bernadette Baum)
