His head is absolutely perfect: Vatican denies the pope has brain tumour

The Vatican on Wednesday categorically denied claims that Pope Francis had a small, curable brain tumour, saying he was in good health and that his head was “absolutely perfect.” Vatican spokesman, the Rev Federico Lombardi, said the newspaper report was “completely unfounded and seriously irresponsible and not worthy of attention”. He added: "I can confirm that the pope is in good health. If you were in the piazza this morning you would have seen that as well.“

If you go on the trips with him, you know he has a small problem with his legs, but his head is absolutely perfect.

Vatican spokesman, the Rev Federico Lombardi

The 78-year-old pope was reported to have gone by helicopter to the San Rossore di Barbaricina clinic near Pisa in recent months to see a Japanese brain cancer specialist, Dr. Takanori Fukishima. The doctor determined that the small dark spot on Francis’ brain could be treated without surgery. But Mr Lombardi categorically denied the report, saying he had spoken to the pope himself about them. He said no Japanese doctor had visited the pope, no tests of the type described in the paper had been performed and that no helicopters had landed in the Vatican from the outside.

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