Pope, blaming a cold, skips Lent retreat for first time in his papacy

[Dennis Donovan]

Source: Reuters


Pope Francis coughs as he leads the weekly Angelus prayer in St Peter's Square at the Vatican, March 1, 2020. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS

MARCH 1, 2020 / 6:30 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis announced on Sunday that a cold he is suffering from has forced him to skip a Lenten spiritual retreat with senior Vatican officials near Rome for the first time in his papacy.

The surprise announcement, which will keep him from attending a gathering he holds dear, marked the first health scare for the 83-year-old pontiff since his election in 2013.

As of late Saturday night, the Vatican said that the pope would be taking part in the retreat, indicating that the decision to skip it was a last-minute one. The retreat was due to start on Sunday afternoon.

The pope made the announcement to thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square during his first public appearance since last Wednesday, when he was seen coughing and sneezing.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-health-cold/pope-blaming-a-cold-skips-lent-retreat-for-first-time-in-his-papacy-idUSKBN20O1NQ

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Um...

(LBN hosts - this is a new development)

[Leghorn21]

1. Well...he IS in Italy

"Many people are saying" it might be more than a cold...

we shall see

[flibbitygiblets]

2. the fact that they're not saying "he's been tested and cleared" is troubling

That man touches a LOT of people every day. If it turns out he's got it, panic is going to set in quickly.

[2naSalit]

3. +1

[SunSeeker]

5. And he has only one lung. ANY cold could kill him. nt

[Beartracks]

9. What?! I didn't know that. n/t

[SunSeeker]

10. Just learned that here yesterday myself.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2439590


According to the Associated Press, the Pope had one of his lungs removed as a teenager, presumably after a bout with an infection. At that time, it’s possible that antibiotic treatments that are commonly used today to treat such infections were not as available, and to protect patients from further health problems doctors removed the lung as way to stop the infection from spreading. https://healthland.time.com/2013/03/13/why-pope-francis-only-has-one-lung/

[cstanleytech]

6. I doubt they are lying about it as if it would leak out then it would erode what little trust

the church has remaining.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. He has some of the best

Medical people in the world on Staff 24/7. Italy is not as sterile as people might think.

[cstanleytech]

7. More like replace "Italy" with "The world".

[captain queeg]

8. I hope he's not taking the same track as dumbo Donnie and trying to hide things

Wasn’t there something recently where catholic priests were dusting people on Ash Wednesday rather than rubbing the ash on the forehead with their thumb?