Pope Francis Apologizes For Knee Problems For Canceling Visits To Congo And South Sudan

Pope Francis (Youtube screenshot @Jarian Kompas)

JAKARTA - Pope Francis apologized to the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan for having to cancel his visit due to knee problems. The Pope hopes his condition will improve.

The Vatican announced Thursday that the July 2-7 trip had been indefinitely postponed due to the 85-year-old pope's knee disease, which has forced him to use a wheelchair for more than a month.

"I feel very sorry that I have to postpone this trip, which I still very much want to do," Pope Francis said at Sunday's blessing in front of thousands of people in St Peter's Square.

"I apologize for this. Let's pray together that with God's help and with medical treatment, I can come to you as soon as possible. We hope," he said, directly addressing the people and authorities of the two countries.

The Vatican said on Thursday that the trip had been postponed "so as not to jeopardize the outcome of the therapy he is undergoing for his knee".

On Sunday, the pope called his illness, believed to be a torn ligament, a "problem with my leg". Pope Francis also suffers from sciatica, which caused him to limp even before his knee problems escalated.

Vatican sources say the pope has been receiving several injections a week for his illness, as well as physical therapy, and he hopes to regain at least some of the ability to walk before the journey begins.

They said the pope refused surgery due to general anesthetic problems following surgery to remove part of his intestines a year ago. The Pope is still scheduled to visit Canada from July 24-30.

The Pope also appealed to his listeners not to accommodate the war in Ukraine.

"Don't let the passage of time dull our pain and concern for those who died as martyrs," he said.