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| Pope suffered minor blow to the head in bedroom injury last year | Pope suffered minor blow to the head in bedroom injury last year |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Pope Benedict XVI suffered a minor blow to the head while on a trip to Latin America last year that has been identified as a big factor in his resignation, a report claims. | Pope Benedict XVI suffered a minor blow to the head while on a trip to Latin America last year that has been identified as a big factor in his resignation, a report claims. |
| According to the Italian daily La Stampa, the previously unpublicised injury left the pope's hair and pillow "dirty with blood", in spite of which he continued with his engagements as planned. | According to the Italian daily La Stampa, the previously unpublicised injury left the pope's hair and pillow "dirty with blood", in spite of which he continued with his engagements as planned. |
| A prelate who was on the trip with Benedict told the paper, without giving his name, that the incident had occurred at night in Mexico, and had prompted the pope's personal doctor to remind him of the challenges of such visits. | A prelate who was on the trip with Benedict told the paper, without giving his name, that the incident had occurred at night in Mexico, and had prompted the pope's personal doctor to remind him of the challenges of such visits. |
| The injury, which the prelate said occurred when Benedict was trying to move around his room in the dark having not been able to find the light switch, was neither deep nor serious. Any damage there may have been was covered throughout the following day by his white skullcap. | The injury, which the prelate said occurred when Benedict was trying to move around his room in the dark having not been able to find the light switch, was neither deep nor serious. Any damage there may have been was covered throughout the following day by his white skullcap. |
| But, according to the prelate, it gave him pause for thought. He was quoted as saying that although Benedict gave his all in Mexico, "he also knew that he no longer had the physical strength to endure these long trips, the change of time zone, the burden of public commitments." | But, according to the prelate, it gave him pause for thought. He was quoted as saying that although Benedict gave his all in Mexico, "he also knew that he no longer had the physical strength to endure these long trips, the change of time zone, the burden of public commitments." |
| The claim comes as Vatican observers attempt to piece together the exact chain of events that led Benedict on Monday to announce the first papal resignation for 600 years. | The claim comes as Vatican observers attempt to piece together the exact chain of events that led Benedict on Monday to announce the first papal resignation for 600 years. |
| The editor of the Vatican's semi-official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, has reported that it was soon after the pope's trip last spring to Mexico and Cuba that he decided he would stand down. | The editor of the Vatican's semi-official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, has reported that it was soon after the pope's trip last spring to Mexico and Cuba that he decided he would stand down. |
| It has also emerged that Benedict underwent minor surgery to replace the batteries in his pacemaker three months ago. | It has also emerged that Benedict underwent minor surgery to replace the batteries in his pacemaker three months ago. |
| The Vatican has repeatedly insisted that no specific illness or ailment was responsible for the pope's resignation, which, he has said, is entirely motivated by "advanced age" and deteriorating strengths. | The Vatican has repeatedly insisted that no specific illness or ailment was responsible for the pope's resignation, which, he has said, is entirely motivated by "advanced age" and deteriorating strengths. |
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