Pope Francis Rests for Second Day With ‘Minor Indisposition’

Papal spokesman Father Federico Lombardi stressed ‘there is nothing serious,’ but the Pope continues to rest following his tiring weekend hosting the Invocation for Peace.

Pope Francis at the June 7 Invocation for Peace in the Vatican Gardens.
Pope Francis at the June 7 Invocation for Peace in the Vatican Gardens. (photo: Alan Holdren/CNA)

VATICAN CITY — Following the cancellation of his public commitments yesterday morning due to tiredness, Pope Francis has decided to continue his rest today with no appointments, but he will continue tomorrow as usual.

“He is not sick, and there is nothing serious; but he had a minor indisposition, and because of this, he felt that it was better to give up some commitments yesterday and the celebration of the Mass with the general public this morning in Santa Marta,” Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told CNA June 10.

The spokesman explained that the Pope usually does not hold public commitments on Tuesdays, so “today he had no other public commitment, so there were no commitments canceled.”

Father Lombardi revealed that although the Holy Father did not say Mass publicly today at his residence in the Vatican’s St. Martha guesthouse, he will still “carry out his normal private activities, and the general audience tomorrow is confirmed.”

Yesterday, Pope Francis canceled his commitments for the second part of the morning following Sunday’s Invocation for Peace in the Vatican Gardens with the presidents of Israel and Palestine, as well as Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, after which he was “very tired,” the spokesman said.

Although Pope Francis is taking a second day of rest, he sent a tweet from his Twitter account @Pontifex this morning, stating: “Let us pray for all victims of sexual violence in conflict and those working to end this crime. #TimeToAct.”

The hashtag used by the Pope is the one currently promoting the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict currently taking place in London.

Lasting from June 10-13, the summit is the largest international gathering ever held to address this issue, and it is being co-chaired by British Foreign Secretary William Hague and U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees special envoy Angelina Jolie.