Vatican says pope hit head during Mexico trip

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By NICOLE WINFIELD

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI hit his head during his March 2012 trip to Mexico, The Vatican said Thursday, but denied the accident had any "relevant" role in his resignation.

It was the latest revelation of a hidden health issue to emerge from the Holy See since the pope's shock announcement, and adds to questions about the gravity of the pontiff's condition. On Tuesday, the Vatican said for the first time that Benedict has a pacemaker, and that he had its batteries replaced just three months ago.

Italy's La Stampa newspaper reported Thursday that Benedict hit his head and bled when he got up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar bedroom in Leon, Mexico. The report said blood stained his hair and sheets.

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi confirmed the incident but said "it was not relevant for the trip, in that it didn't affect it, nor in the decision" to resign.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130214/DA4EE2000.html

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Pope Benedict XVI greets the faithful at the end of the Ash Wednesday mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a solemn period of 40 days of prayer and self-denial leading up to Easter. Pope Benedict XVI told thousands of faithful Wednesday that he was resigning for "the good of the church", an extraordinary scene of a pope explaining himself to his flock that unfolded in his first appearance since dropping the bombshell announcement. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

[pipoman]

1. Oh, he hit 'his' head..

I thought this was going to be a story about papal incontinence, or about papal excretory processes..

[Botany]

2. Vatican says pope hit head = please don't talk about the 30,000 pages that show the Pope ....

..... knew about and helped to hide the child molestation.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. He hit his head, woke up the next morning

sane for the first time in his life, and said "Migod, what have I been doing all these years? I was so wrong--all those little children--I can't stand it any more; I'm gonna lay the groundwork so I can resign within the next year."

Well, shit, everyone is entitled to their own fantasies, aren't they?

[backscatter712]

4. For a minute, I thought the story said the Pope "got some head".

Made me think he was having fun with the altar boys.

[RKP5637]

6. I saw "pope hit head during Mexico trip" and thought they were talking

about he made a pit stop during the trip!

[SaveAmerica]

5. Which one?

[Sunlei]

7. pretty sad that any religion props up some very old guy who needs 24/7 nursing. worship a chair!!

[magical thyme]

8. Doubtless the Feb 15 deadline in the RI lawsuit

with its pending release of 30K or so pages that document his knowledge of and involvement in the Vatican's Pedophile Priest Protection Program has nothing to do with his resignation.

Nothing to see here, folks. Just a sad old man with a bloody head and bloody sheets. Just move right along....

Wish I'd known in time to buy stock in Depends, because there must be a lot of priests crapping their pants right about now.

[MADem]

9. Perhaps, like in the cartoons, he came to his senses....? nt

[loudsue]

10. Holy crap. Now I'm wondering whose blood it was on his sheets in Mexico.

Have I mentioned I don't trust Ratzinger? Or his handlers?

[uppityperson]

11. The older you get, the worse your balance is, especially in the dark. Glad he is retiring and hoping

they put someone more progressive in in his place.