Pope Francis suffered a fall in his apartment on Thursday, his second in little more than a month’s time, the Vatican said.
The 88-year-old pontiff was left with “a contusion to his right forearm” following his stumble at Casa Santa Marta, according to a statement released by the Holy See press office. He did not suffer any broken bones, the statement noted, but his “arm was immobilized as a precautionary measure.”
Despite his injury, Pope Francis attended five meetings on Thursday, including one with Alvaro Lario, the President of the International Fund of Agricultural Development, and another with priests from an Argentine college based in Rome. In images released by the Vatican, the pope can be seen sporting a soft sling during the discussions.
The injury comes some six weeks after Pope Francis slipped while getting out of bed, and then slammed his chin on a nearby nightstand. The fall, which left his face and neck bruised, occurred in early December, in the days leading up to his 88th birthday.
Francis — who has led the Catholic church since 2013 — has faced a series of health issues in recent years, and he now uses a wheelchair due to knee and back pain.
In 2021, the pope underwent surgery to address a painful condition called diverticulitis, and again in 2023 to repair a hernia.
He has also battled long bouts of bronchitis in addition to influenza and related issues over the last two years. Still, he has repeatedly said he has no intention of resigning, even after his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, “opened the door” to the possibility.
Benedict broke 600 years of tradition and resigned from the papacy in 2013. His aides blamed a fall he suffered during a 2012 trip to Mexico, leaving him unable to keep up with the demands of the job. Benedict died Dec. 31, 2022 at the age of 95