VATICAN CITY — On Saturday, Pope Francis was observed with a noticeable bruise on his chin while leading a ceremony aimed at inducting new cardinals. Despite this visible mark, he appeared to manage the event without any difficulty.

The Vatican has not provided an explanation regarding the origin of the bruise. As the Pope approaches his 88th birthday later this month, he did show signs of slight fatigue, yet he continued with the scheduled induction of 21 new cardinals at St. Peter’s Basilica without interruption.

In recent years, the Pontiff has faced various health challenges, which have now led him to rely on a wheelchair due to persistent knee and back pain. His health has been publicly scrutinized, especially given previous incidents, such as in 2017 when he sustained a black eye during a trip to Colombia after bumping his head on a support bar when the popemobile made a sudden stop.