Pope hurts his arm in second fall in a month

16 January 2025, 13:04

Vatican Pope Falls
Vatican Pope Falls. Picture: PA

The 88-year-old pontiff had bruised his chin in December.

Pope Francis has fallen and hurt his arm just weeks after another apparent fall resulted in a bruise on his chin, the Vatican said.

Francis did not break his arm in the incident on Thursday but a sling was put on as a precaution, a spokesman said in a statement.

On December 7, he struck his chin on his nightstand in an apparent fall that resulted in a bad bruise.

This morning, due to a fall at Santa Marta House, Pope Francis suffered a contusion to his right forearm, without fracture

Vatican statement

The 88-year-old, who has battled health problems including long bouts of bronchitis, often has to use a wheelchair because of bad knees. He uses a walker or cane when moving around his apartment in the Santa Marta hotel.

The Vatican said Thursday’s fall also occurred at Santa Marta, and the pope was later seen in audiences with his right arm in a sling.

“This morning, due to a fall at Santa Marta House, Pope Francis suffered a contusion to his right forearm, without fracture. The arm was immobilised as a precautionary measure,” the statement said.

Speculation about Francis’s health is a constant in Vatican circles, especially after Pope Benedict XVI broke 600 years of tradition and resigned from the papacy in 2013.

Benedict’s aides have attributed the decision to a night-time fall that he suffered during a 2012 trip to Mexico, after which he determined he could not keep up with the globe-trotting demands of the papacy.

Francis has said, however, that he has no plans to resign, even if Benedict “opened the door” to the possibility.

In his autobiography Hope released this week, Francis said that he had not considered resigning even when he had major intestinal surgery.

By Press Association

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Virginia Giuffre

Woman driving Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre during crash that left her with 'four days to live' breaks silence

Exclusive
'Donald Trump has made Putin comfortable,' Mikhail Khodorkovsky has warned

'Trump has made Putin comfortable' despite massive Ukraine war losses, exiled former oligarch tells LBC

The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were discovered by a neighbour.

British couple found dead in south of France home being ‘treated as murder-suicide’

The vehicle was later extinguished after the driver, covered in flames, emerged from the vehicle.

Amsterdam Dam Square car explosion sees driver engulfed in flames - just days after mass stabbing

d

Pictured: US tourist arrested for sailing to remote island and leaving a can of Coke for world's most isolated tribe

The Sentinelese are a pre-Neolithic tribe that rejects contact with the modern world

US tourist arrested for sailing to remote island and leaving a can of Coke for the world's most isolated tribe to try

The Trump administration has been ridiculed after imposing tariffs on uninhabited islands

'No one is safe, not even the penguins': Trump administration ridiculed after imposing tariffs on uninhabited islands

World leaders react to US tariffs

'This is not the act of a friend': World leaders react to Trump's 'unwarranted' tariffs

British couple

British couple found dead in New Zealand named - as police probe possible murder-suicide

Virginia Giuffre said she had been left with 'four days to life' after the crash

Bus driver breaks silence on Virginia Giuffre crash that left her 'with four days to live'

Foreign Secretary David Lammy

David Lammy to urge Nato allies to increase defence spending in bid to make alliance 'stronger, fairer and more lethal'

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

EU threatens further countermeasures against US tariffs after 'major blow to world economy'

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' as Apprentice star teases potential US Presidential meeting

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' and warns that the president 'hasn't thought it through'

Buildings that were destroyed during the Israeli ground and air operations in Gaza

Israel expands ground attack on Gaza to seize 'large areas' - despite pleas from hostage families

Police said two people died on Palliser Road, Roseneath.

British couple found dead at home in New Zealand - just months after moving to 'begin new chapter'

Virginia Giuffre warned it was a "very bad situation" after she claimed a school bus ploughed into her car

Virginia Giuffre was charged with breaching restraining order days before crash that 'left her with days to live'