According to the Holy See press office, Pope Francis postponed his activities on Tuesday due to ongoing knee problems.
“Pope Francis has delayed the activities planned for today, including participation in the Council of Cardinals, a new session of which is beginning these days, due to pain in his knee and on medical advice,” the press office said on April 26.
Francis, 85, has been suffering from right knee problems, which has forced him to play reduced roles in some liturgies and to sit more frequently.
On April 22, his schedule was cleared for medical checkups, and on April 24, he preached at but did not preside over Mass for the Octave Day of Easter.ster.
Since the beginning of the year, the pope’s movements have been increasingly restricted.
He explained that he couldn’t greet pilgrims as usual because of a temporary “issue with my right leg,” an injured knee ligament, at the general audience on Jan. 26.
“They say this only happens to old people,” he added, smiling. “I don’t know why it happened to me, but… I don’t know.”
Pope Francis did not kneel in front of the cross on Good Friday. The pope also chose not to participate in the Easter Vigil Mass, though he did attend and deliver the homily.
He had to take a break midway through his delivering of the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing on Easter Sunday.
In recent weeks, Pope Francis has also received additional assistance walking and going up and down stairs.
On Monday, while meeting with members of the Trinitarian order, Pope Francis mentioned his knee injury, which prevented him from standing to greet them all.
“I’ll greet you after the photo, but please excuse me; I have to do it sitting, not on my feet, due to my knee… It’s the disease that was originally known as ‘nun’s pain,’ because it was the time when nuns prayed on their knees, and they were ill as a result! On April 25, he stated, “This will heal, but in the meantime, we must do things correctly.”