Pope Francis returns to work: 86-year-old pope meets Martin Scorsese and holds private audiences after day off with fever as fears for his health mount
- The pope met with legendary director Martin Scorsese and his wife Helen Morris
- Health problems have been gripping the 80-year-old pope for several months now
Pope Francis recovered to return to work today after being forced to clear his schedule due to a fever earlier this week.
The pope resumed his duties and held several private audiences, including a greeting with legendary Hollywood director Martin Scorsese.
The head of the Catholic Church met with Goodfellas’ director and his wife Helen Morris as part of a conference at the Vatican.
The trio were seen holding hands and smiling with each other. Scorsese also appeared to present Francis with a framed present.
Health problems have been gripping the 80-year-old pope for several months now. The 86-year-old had been hospitalized with bronchitis just two months ago.
Goodfellas: Pope Francis meets director Martin Scorsese and his wife Helen Morris. The trio was pictured clasping hands and smiling with each other
Pope Francis met with Director Martin Scorsese at the Vatican today. Scorsese also appeared to present Francis with a framed present
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Friday that the Argentine pope was not holding an audience “because of a feverish condition.”
It was unclear who the pope had expected to meet with, as his agenda was not made public.
Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin blamed the pope’s busy schedule, saying he was “tired.”
Francis had eight meetings on Thursday, according to his published schedule.
His next public appearance will be Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in honor of Pentecost, followed by the traditional Regina Coeli prayer.
He will meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Monday.
Francis, leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics since 2013, has struggled with increasing health issues over the past year, from persistent pain in his right knee to his recent hospitalization for bronchitis.
The episodes have sparked widespread concern and fueled speculation that he may choose to retire rather than work for life, a choice made by his predecessor, Benedict XVI.
At the end of March, Francis was admitted to hospital in Rome with breathing difficulties, where he remained for three nights.
He was treated with antibiotics for bronchitis.
Pope Francis meets officials at a conference hosted today by La Civilta Cattolica and Georgetown University in the Vatican
The pope resumed his duties, held several private audiences and met officials today at a conference in the Vatican
The pope reads aloud as he greets officials at a conference at the Vatican today
As he left Gemelli Hospital on April 1, the pope smiled and joked with the well-wishers, joking, “I’m still alive!”
Nevertheless, the pope had to miss the ‘Way of the Cross’ procession on Good Friday last month because of the cold weather.
Instead, he attended an indoor Good Friday service at St. Peter’s Basilica.
It was the first time the pope had not presided over the Via Crucis service since he was elected in 2013.
He did manage to participate in Maundy Thursday duties, meeting with dozens of cardinals and bishops and some 1,880 priests in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The pope later traveled to Casal del Marmo prison on the outskirts of the city, where he washed and kissed the feet of 12 young prisoners in a gesture intended to demonstrate Jesus’ humility toward his apostles on the night before his death. to commemorate.
Francis, who became pope ten years ago, is missing part of a lung. It was removed when he was a young man in his native Argentina.