THE Pope was at the centre of an Almighty drama today after he got stuck in a Vatican lift. Francis – who says he is elevated by a higher power – was late to his weekly Angelus prayer after becoming trapped because of a power cut. The pontiff had to be rescued by Vatican City […]
THE Pope was at the centre of an Almighty drama today after he got stuck in a Vatican lift.
Francis – who says he is elevated by a higher power – was late to his weekly Angelus prayer after becoming trapped because of a power cut.
The pontiff had to be rescued by Vatican City firefighters after a “drop in voltage” caused the lift he was in to block.
Francis was trapped in the lift for 25 minutes in what seemed like an eternity to the waiting crowds.
The Pope, who turns 83 in December, ended up being seven minutes late to his noon address.
Francis apologised to the audience at his weekly Sunday address for being late after getting stuck in a Vatican elevator.
“I have to apologise for being late,” the smiling 82-year old pontiff told crowds of faithful patiently waiting for him to appear at his study window overlooking St Peter’s Square.
“I was trapped in a lift for 25 minutes, there was a power outage but then the firemen came.”
The Pope then asked the crowd to applaud the firefighters, saying: “Thank goodness, the firefighters arrived, and I thank them so much, and after 25 minutes of work they managed to get it started again.”
Prompting cheers and applause from the audience, he added: “Let’s give a round of applause to the fire service.”
Italian television networks that live-stream the Angelus had been concerned that the unprecedented seven-minute delay might have been due to health reasons.
But God works in mysterious ways – and it only turned out to be a lift hitch.
It was believed to be the first time the Vatican’s head of state, who leads the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, has got stuck in an elevator.
In his address, the Pope announced the names of 10 new Catholic cardinals who will begin work from October.
The Pope also called on individuals across the world to make changes to their daily habits to stop climate change in its tracks, and to put pressure on their leaders “before it’s too late”.
“We have created a climate emergency, which seriously threatens nature and life, including our own,” he said in a message to mark this year’s World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.
“This is the time to reflect on our lifestyles and how our daily choices in terms of food, consumption, travel, use of water, energy and many other material goods are often reckless and harmful,” he wrote.
Francis, a long-time environmental campaigner, said his plea went out to “every member of the human family”.
“Let us choose to change, to take on simpler and more respectful lifestyles.”
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