World News | Back Pain Causes Pope to Skip Vatican New Year''s Ceremonies
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Pope Francis is skipping New Years ceremonies due to what the Vatican says is a painful back condition, a spokesman said Thursday.
Vatican City, Dec 31 (AP) Pope Francis is skipping New Years ceremonies due to what the Vatican says is a painful back condition, a spokesman said Thursday.
Matteo Bruni said Francis is suffering from “painful sciatica” and wont preside at a year-end prayer service Thursday evening in St. Peters Basilica. The pope also wont celebrate Mass on New Years Day in the basilica for the same reason.
Francis has suffered from the problem in the past. Sciatica can cause back and leg pain and is due to compression on nerve roots or on the sciatic nerve which runs from the lower spine down the thigh.
Despite the back pain, Bruni said Francis will deliver his scheduled New Year's blessing during an appearance at noon Friday in the library of the Apostolic Palace.
To discourage crowds in St. Peter's Square during a COVID-19 surge in Italy, Francis lately has moved his weekly and holiday blessing appearances to inside the Vatican instead of greeting faithful from a palace window overlooking the square.
The Thursday evening Vespers service and the Friday Mass will go ahead but will be presided over by Vatican cardinals. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)