Pope freed from cast, says wrist still 'lazy'

updated 3:14 p.m. ET Aug. 23, 2009

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy - Pope Benedict XVI made his first public appearance since having the cast removed from his broken right wrist, joking Sunday that his hand was "freed," but still a bit sluggish.

The pontiff clearly favored his left hand while blessing the faithful gathered in the courtyard of the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo for his traditional noon blessing, but he was able to bless the crowd with his right hand. The wrist remained covered with a white bandage.

"As you can see, my hand is freed from the cast, but it's still a bit lazy," Benedict said to applause. "I still have to stay in patience school, but we'll carry on."

The 82-year-old pontiff broke his wrist during a late-night fall while on vacation in the papal Alpine chalet in Les Combes, in northern Italy, on July 17. The cast was removed Friday and doctors said it was healing well.

Doctors have said Benedict's fall was not related to any underlying health condition. The Vatican has said he tripped on a leg of his bed while looking for the light switch in an unfamiliar room in the chalet.

Despite the injury, the pope kept to his public schedule during his vacation, including greeting the faithful at a Sunday prayer appearance two days after the fall.

Benedict left Les Combes at the end of July and moved to the Vatican's lakeside summer residence in Castel Gandolfo south of Rome, where he is expected to remain for the rest of the summer.

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