Pope Francis canceled a planned July trip to Africa on doctors’ orders because of knee problems, the Vatican said Friday, dashing hopes of the faithful there and raising further questions about the health and mobility of the 85-year-old pontiff.
The Vatican said the July 2-7 trip to Congo and South Sudan would be rescheduled “to a later date to be determined.” The visit had sought to promote peace in two African countries long wrestling with deadly violence.
“At the request of his doctors, and in order not to jeopardize the results of the therapy that he is undergoing for his knee, the Holy Father has been forced to postpone, with regret, his Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and to South Sudan,” the Vatican said.
Francis has been using a wheelchair for a month due to strained ligaments in his right knee that have made walking and standing
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