VATICAN CITY- Pope Francis will not conduct New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day services because of a flame up his sciatica condition, which will cause pain in his right leg, the Vatican said Thursday.
It was the first time in years that Francis, who turned 84 this month, had to skip a papal event for health reasons.
An end-of-year vespers service that the pope was to preside on Thursday afternoon will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, and Friday Mass will be said by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State.
The Vatican said the pope would conduct his Friday noon prayer as scheduled.
The pope suffers from sciatica, a condition that causes pain that radiates from the lower back across the sciatic nerve to the lower part of the body.
He is sometimes seen walking with difficulty due to the pain and regularly receives physical therapy due to the condition.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Jon Boyle) (([email protected];))