Pope Francis has fallen for the second time in as many months an damaged his forearm, the Vatican said Thursday, adding that he is wearing a sling.
The 88-year-old, who has been in declining health in recent years, fell at his Santa Marta house in the Vatican but did not break any bones, according to a news release.
“This morning, due to a fall at the Santa Marta house, Pope Francis suffered a contusion on his right forearm, without fractures. The arm was immobilised as a precautionary measure,” it said.
In December 2024, the Argentine pope suffered a bruise on his right jaw from a fall from his bed.
The pope, who took over as head of the Catholic Church in 2013, has recurring health issues, including knee and hip pain and bronchitis, and has relied on a wheelchair since 2022.
Despite this, Francis remains active, completing a four-nation trip in September, the longest of his papacy in terms of duration and distance.
In December 2024, the Pope escaped two attempts on his life during his historic trip to Iraq in March 2021, according to excerpts from his forthcoming autobiography, according to Italian media.
The British secret service issued an urgent warning to the pontiff’s Vatican security detail, Francis wrote.
“A woman packed with explosives, a young suicide bomber, was heading towards Mosul to blow herself up during the papal visit,” he wrote in “Hope,” which goes on sale in over 80 countries in January.
“And a van had also set off at great speed with the same intention,” he added, according to excerpts from the book published by the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
