SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 5 December 2024, Thursday |

Pope has scan due to flu, lung complications ruled out

After being forced to abandon his activities due to an illness, Pope Francis went to a hospital in Rome on Saturday for a scan, which the Vatican claimed ruled out lung issues.

The 86-year-old pope had already returned to his apartment within the Vatican, according to a statement issued by the Vatican, following his early Saturday afternoon CT scan at the Gemelli Isola hospital in central Rome.

When the pope was a young man in his native Argentina, part of one of his lungs was removed.

His next public appearance is scheduled for Sunday, when he is expected to address crowds in his weekly Angelus message in St. Peter’s Square.

The pope is scheduled to attend the COP28 climate conference in Dubai from Dec. 1-3, where he is expected to have nearly an entire day of bilateral meetings with world leaders attending the event.

Earlier this month, Francis skipped reading a prepared speech for a meeting with European rabbis because he had a cold, but he appeared to be in good health during a meeting with children just hours later.

In June, he had surgery on an abdominal hernia, spending nine days in hospital. He appears to have recovered fully from that operation.

On Saturdays, he usually holds regular meetings with Vatican officials, including a weekly one with the head of the Vatican department that oversees the appointment of bishops, as well as private audiences.

    Source:
  • Reuters