Pope Francis fell Thursday after
stumbling down a step on an altar during a visit to Poland but quickly
got back to his feet, seemingly without injury.
Polish media broadcast images of the
79-year-old Argentine pontiff stumbling, then falling down out of view
before being helped to his feet by altar servers.
Francis appeared to be fine as he
delivered a homily and said mass at the revered Jasna Gora monastery in
Czestochowa, southern Poland.
It is home to the legendary Black Madonna, an icon which Catholic faithful believe has miraculous qualities.
Pope Francis fell Thursday after
stumbling down a step on an altar during a visit to Poland but quickly
got back to his feet, seemingly without injury.
Polish media broadcast images of the
79-year-old Argentine pontiff stumbling, then falling down out of view
before being helped to his feet by altar servers.
Francis appeared to be fine as he delivered a homily and said mass at the revered Jasna Gora monastery in Czestochowa, southern Poland
It is home to the legendary Black Madonna, an icon which Catholic faithful believe has miraculous qualities.
Security was tight at the hill-top
shrine following a series of attacks in Europe, with a highly visible
police and army presence on the roads leading into the city.
Ambulances and fire-engines were on
standby with Polish officials taking no chances with security following
the jihadist murder of a priest in a French church on the eve of the
pope’s five-day trip to celebrate the 2016 World Youth Day.
Shortly after touching down in Poland,
Francis said the world was at war but argued that religion was not the
cause, insisting the way for people to “overcome fear” was to provide
asylum to those fleeing conflict.
Francis left Czestochowa Thursday by
helicopter, heading back to to Krakow where he will be presented with
the keys to the city, before jumping on to a tram which will whisk him
to the sprawling Blonia meadow for his first big WYD event.
“Now go and do your duty, make noise all night long!” he finished with a grin.
AFP
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