VATICAN CITY: By embarking aged 87 on the farthest journey of his papacy, Pope Francis is doing something some believed impossible - and seeking to silence those who doubt his ability to fulfil his role.
starting next week involves 43 hours of flight time and a distance of 32,000km.
Weeks ago few observers thought Pope Francis was capable of such a gruelling voyage, with the corridors of the Vatican buzzing with concerns over his health. But the Argentine Jesuit has repeatedly stressed that he is not there yet and views travelling as particularly important, a cornerstone of his ministry that prioritises spreading the faith.
Now unable to climb a flight of stairs, Pope Francis has to use an elevator to board his plane. He also now sits, rather than stands, during the press conferences he holds on the return flight of each voyage. At the same time, the source said, it has stirred"concern, and even a certain annoyance at the pope's relentlessness, which puts his health and security services on edge".For Andrea Ungar, president of the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics,"this trip demonstrates once again the pope's strength of spirit and shows how, despite age, things can still be done."
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