Pope skips speech, blaming breathing difficulties after surgery

FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis greets people on the day of his discharge from Gemelli hospital in Rome, Italy, June 16, 2023. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis skipped reading a planned speech at a conference on Thursday, saying he still had breathing problems following a hernia operation this month.

"I am still under the effects of anaesthesia, my breathing is not good," Francis told a meeting of the Catholic Oriental Church, saying delegates would instead receive a text of the speech.