Pope Francis could not stand during an audience on Friday due to ‘troublesome’ sciatica that has forced him to cancel many recent events.
The 84-year-old told members of a top Catholic Church tribunal Roman Rota: “I would like to speak to you standing up but sciatica is a troublesome guest.”
The Pope added: “So I apologize and will speak sitting down.”
He was forced to postpone his New Year’s greeting for ambassadors to the Holy See because of the chronic nerve condition.
The Argentine pontiff also skipped New Year’s masses at St. Peter’s Basilica due to his condition but he managed to lead the Angelus prayer on Sunday as scheduled.
Weeks after being elected head of the Catholic Church in 2013, Pope Francis told reporters about suffering a bout of sciatica.
“The worst thing that happened – excuse me – was an attack of sciatica – really! – that I had the first month, because I was sitting in an armchair to do interviews and it hurt,” he said at that time.
“Sciatica is very painful, very painful! I don’t wish it on anyone!”
Pope Francis received the coronavirus vaccine alongside former pope Benedict XVI, who stays in a monastery in the Vatican gardens.
The pontiff walks with a slight limp due to his condition. Despite having a part of his lung removed when he was still young after he developed pleurisy, the pontiff has had a generally healthy life.
One person commented: “I have sciatica myself, it is no joke. It’s nearly as bad as kidney stones, something else that plagues every so often.”
Another wrote: “Sciatica is a b * t c h. You can’t imagine unless you’ve ever suffered from it.”
A third said: “Sciatica sure can make life hellish. The exercises don’t help, massage is very temporary and the rx pain meds dope you up and get you addicted.”
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