Pope Francis has cancelled a trip to Africa due to a persisting knee problem and has thus continued to raise further concerns about the health of the 85-year-old pontiff. 

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said that the planned visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan in early July have been cancelled. 

This was at the request of his doctors in order not to jeopardise the results of the therapy that he is undergoing for his knee, with the trip set to be rescheduled for a later date. 

Francis appeared using a wheelchair in public for the first time in early May, having cancelled several engagements since having a minor operation to treat knee pain. The Vatican has not revealed what the problem truly is, but the Pope himself told Corriere della Sera last month that he needed a minor intervention with infiltration due to a strained ligament. 

The pope has an upcoming six-day trip to Canada planned for the 24th of July, as well as a September visit to Kazakhstan. Rumours have been circulating that Francis could, like his predecessor Benedict XVI, resign from his post. 

Following this, a new Pope would of course have to be re-elected. Among the possible candidates is Cardinal Mario Grech who is being mentioned among a number of cardinals who stand a chance of succeeding Francis. 

The Times of London reported that the succession will be a battle between two factions as conservatives allegedly loathe Francis’ ‘mercy-before-dogma’ style, with the Pope connecting more to his more liberal fans and supporters. 

#MaltaDaily