Pope Francis enjoys a brief circus performance in Paul VI Hall

Vatican City, Nov 29 (EFE) - (Camera: Antonello Nusca) Pope Francis on Wednesday enjoyed a brief exhibition of circus artists participating in the Festival of Talents in Italy and thanked "this moment of joy" and assured that the circus "expresses a dimension of the human soul".

The Pope, who is recovering from flu and a lung inflammation that has led him to cancel his trip to Dubai to take part in the COP 28 climate summit, preferred not to read the catechesis at the general audience in the Paul VI hall so as not to strain himself during the audience, and instead a collaborator delivered it.

FOOTAGE OF THE GENERAL AUDIENCE AND SOUNDBITES OF THE POPE FRANCIS.

TRANSLATION:

1.We continue to pray for the grave situation in Israel and Palestine. Peace, please, peace, I hope that the ongoing truce in Gaza will continue, that all hostages will be released and that access to the necessary humanitarian aid will continue to be allowed. I heard from the parish there, there is no water, there is no bread, people are suffering. It is the simple people, the ordinary people, who are suffering. We want peace. And let us not forget when we talk about peace, the dear Ukrainian people who are suffering so much, still at war.

2.War is always a defeat, everyone loses. Not everybody loses. There is one group that gains a lot. They are the arms manufacturers. They gain a lot over the death of others.

3.And I would like to say thank you for this moment of joy. These circus girls and boys. The circus expresses a dimension of the human soul. That of free joy, that simple joy, made with the mystique of play. I thank them very much because they make us laugh but also because they give us an example of very strong training because to be able to do what they do you need a strong, very strong training.