Pope Francis injured his right arm on Thursday at Santa Marta, Colombia, in his second fall in just over a month.
He suffered a contusion and was later seen in public wearing a sling, but the Vatican confirmed he did not fracture any bones.
“This morning, due to a fall at Santa Marta House, Pope Francis suffered a contusion to his right forearm, without fracture. The arm was immobilized as a precautionary measure,” the Vatican said in a statement.
On Dec. 7, 2024, the Argentinian pontiff fell and slammed his chin against a nightstand, resulting in a bad bruise.
Francis has dealt with several health problems, including having intestinal surgery, long bouts of bronchitis, and bad knees. The 88-year-old pope often uses a wheelchair or a walker as a result of his ailments.
His recent falls draw parallels to the end of his predecessor’s reign, as Pope Benedict XVI’s unprecedented decision to step down from his position came after a nighttime fall in Mexico in 2012.
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Unlike Benedict, Francis said he has no intentions of stepping down in his autobiography Hope. In 2022, he said that “for the moment,” he did not intend to resign but that if his health prevented him from carrying out his duties, he might step down.
Benedict’s decision to step down, which broke 600 years of Catholic tradition, “opened the door” to a possible health-related resignation, according to Francis.
