Pope Francis is canceling a planned July trip to Africa on the orders of doctors due to persistent knee problems.
This trip was to take place before the one he must make in Canada, on which the Vatican said nothing on Friday.
The 85-year-old pontiff was due to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan from July 2-7. The trip is postponed to a later date to be determined.
In a statement, the Vatican writes that “at the request of his doctors, and in order not to compromise the results of the therapy he is undergoing for his knee, the Holy Father has been forced to postpone, with regret, his Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan”.
Francois used a wheelchair for about a month due to strained ligaments in his right knee that made walking and standing difficult and painful. He also received injections, kept the knee as still as possible, and walked with a cane or the help of an assistant, if necessary.
The pope has scheduled a visit to Canada for July 24-30 for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. The Vatican statement said nothing about the trip, and spokesman Matteo Bruni only mentioned that the pope’s other commitments were confirmed.
It looks like the pope doesn’t want to have knee surgery, reportedly because of his reaction to anesthesia when he had 33 centimeters of his large intestine removed in July 2021.
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