Pope Francis said today that he was suffering from a “bad cold”, which made it difficult for him to speak. During the weekly audience at the Vatican, the pope asked for help to read his message, Reuters reports, quoted by BTA.
Pope's health problems in recent years
The 88-year-old pope, who has led the Roman Catholic Church since 2013, has suffered multiple bouts of the flu and related health problems over the past two years.
Problems with falls and injuries
In recent months, Francis has suffered two falls at his Vatican residence. During the incidents, he skinned his cheek in December and injured his hand in January.
Attendance at the audience
Although he was unable to read his message, the pope attended the entire hour-long audience and spoke briefly on several issues.