Pope Francis is probably thanking God for the fire brigade after spending 25 minutes stuck in a malfunctioning Vatican elevator. The pontiff was rescued by emergency workers who rushed to the scene.

The Pope arrived about 10 minutes late for his weekly address in St. Peter's Square on Sunday – but he had an excellent excuse for his tardiness.

Begging the audience’s pardon, he explained that there had been an electrical problem in the Vatican, trapping him inside an elevator until he was eventually freed by firefighters.

“A round of applause for the fire brigade,” he told the crowd.

The Pope is no stranger to accidents or mishaps. During a trip to Colombia, he lost his balance while riding in the iconic Popemobile, bruising his left cheekbone and eyelid.

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