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Pope Francis has stated he’s “tremendously dissatisfied” he can not make a deliberate go to to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan on Saturday as a result of knee ache.
The 85-year-old pontiff suffers continual arthritis in his knee, in keeping with Vatican sources, and has cancelled a string of occasions in current months.
“The Lord is aware of how tremendously dissatisfied I’m to have needed to postpone this long-awaited and much-desired go to,” the Pope stated in a video message launched by the Vatican on Saturday.
“However we stay assured and hopeful that we will have the ability to meet as quickly as doable.”
The Vatican had postponed the Pope’s journey to South Sudan and the DRC on June 10 “on the request of his medical doctors” to keep away from jeopardising remedy.
In his video message, the Pope supplied a “heartfelt blessing” to the 2 nations he was set to go to.
He stated:
I consider the Democratic Republic of Congo and the exploitation, violence and insecurity from which it suffers, significantly within the east of the nation, the place armed conflicts proceed to trigger a lot intense struggling, aggravated by the indifference and the comfort of many.
“I consider South Sudan and the plea for peace arising from its individuals who, weary of violence and poverty, await concrete outcomes from the method of nationwide reconciliation.”
“Expensive Congolese and South Sudanese pals, right now phrases are inadequate to convey to you my closeness and the love that I really feel for you,” he added.
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The Pope – who has wanted a wheelchair at official occasions – has additionally spoken of an injured ligament and suffers from hip ache which forces him to limp. Final July, he spent 10 days in hospital after present process colon surgical procedure.
A scheduled journey to Lebanon in June was additionally postponed as a result of well being causes, in keeping with the Lebanese authorities – though the Vatican had by no means confirmed the go to.
However a visit to Canada on the finish of July remains to be on the pontiff’s schedule.
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