Pope Francis Diagnosed with Pneumonia, Conducts Sunday Homily via Video Link

Pope Francis, during today’s Sunday homily, which was held via video link, announced that he is suffering from pneumonia, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.

“Today I cannot speak from the (Apostolic Palace) window because I have a pneumonia issue,” Pope Francis stated from his residence. He also warned that the main part of the Sunday homily would be read by Paolo Braida, a staff member of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State who is responsible for writing sermons.

According to Vatican News, following the prayer, Pope Francis referenced a temporary ceasefire in the Middle East, during which Hamas will release 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The pontiff urged the faithful to pray for the release of all hostages and for the continuation of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Additionally, Pope Francis mentioned November 25, the commemoration day of the Holodomor (a man-made famine in the Soviet Ukraine during 1932-1933), emphasizing that “instead of healing, the wound becomes more painful because of war,” and called on the faithful to pray for a swift peace.

Moreover, the Pope noted that humanity is threatened not only by military conflicts but also by climate change. He also confirmed that he would be traveling to Dubai for the UN conference on climate change.

The day before, the Vatican press office announced the cancellation of Francis’ scheduled official audiences due to “mild flu” symptoms. It was later revealed that the Pope underwent a computed tomography scan to “rule out the risk of pulmonary complications.” The results were negative.