Pope Francis falls, injures arm at residence, Vatican officials say

LONDON -- Pope Francis fell and injured his arm on Thursday in his residence, the Vatican said.

"This morning, due to a fall at the Santa Marta house, Pope Francis suffered a bruise to his right forearm, without fractures," the Vatican said in a statement in Italian. "The arm was immobilized as a precautionary measure."

The pontiff, 88, was seen in a photo released by the Vatican with his arm in a soft sling.

Pope Francis through the years

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Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Dec. 17, 1936. He is well known for his devotion to the poor and his progressive views. Bergoglio joined the Society of Jesus in 1958. He was named the archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was created a cardinal in 2001. In 2013 he was elected pope, becoming the first Jesuit pope in nearly 500 years.

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ABC News' Joe Simonetti and Helena Skinner contributed to this report.