Pope Francis returned “for a visit” to Gemelli Hospital, immediately after this morning's general audience, which the pontiff held despite a cold. The visit lasted a few hours and the pontiff returned to the Vatican in the morning. Even today, Bergoglio has not been able to read the speech, entrusted to a collaborator, Mgr Filippo Ciampanelli. “I still have a little cold – said the Pope – that is why I asked Mgr Ciampanelli to read today's catechesis”. He did the same at the previous meeting, when he welcomed members of the synod of bishops of the Cilicia Patriarchal Church of the Armenians. Already in recent days, the pope's health had forced him to slow down his commitments. The pontiff was suffering from a mild flu.
Last Saturday, the Holy See had to cancel all appointments of the pontiff, including a meeting with the deacons of the diocese of Rome, due to the outbreak of fever. Sunday morning, Pope Francis reappeared at the Angelus a little pale. On Monday, he postponed his commitments again. A sign that the discomfort due to the after-effects of the lung infection still persists.
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