Pope Francis (87) said on Saturday that he had bronchitis. The pope gave a brief speech at an event in the Vatican. He was unable to read the speech due to a cough.
“I thank you all, I have prepared a speech but I cannot read it due to bronchitis,” the leader of the Catholic Church said at the opening of the Holy See’s Judicial Year, according to Agence France-Presse.
Last Wednesday Francesco had a mild flu and had to go to a hospital in Rome for tests. He also couldn’t read his own words that morning.
The pontiff, who travels in a wheelchair, has developed a series of health problems in recent years, particularly with his knees, hips and colon.
In June 2023, he underwent abdominal surgery, and in December he had to cancel a trip to Dubai to attend COP28, the major annual climate event organized by the United Nations. The cause at that time was also bronchitis.
The Pope could not help but respond to the political and social situation Argentina is going through. Within this framework, Francisco believes that the role of the state in “redistribution and social justice” is “more important than ever.”
The Pope pointed out through the video that “we live in an era of such injustice, where few rich people are increasingly powerful and millions of poor people are deprived and abandoned. Social rights are not free, and the wealth that sustains them is.” obtained, but requires appropriate political decisions. Today the state is more important than ever and is called upon to play a redistributive and social justice role. Dear judges, the norms have been laid down. They are responsible for governance. The question is Their effective effectiveness, their embodiment. That’s where your role begins.”