Pope Francis Asks For Prayers, Says He's 'A Bit Old and Sick'

Questions regarding the state of Pope Francis' health have begun to swirl as the pontiff recently asked for prayers, saying he is "a bit old and sick."

Francis made his comments on a recent visit to the town of Ostia, where he asked a crowd of elderly visitors to pray for him, saying he too is "a bit old and sick."

"I thank God that in this community the old and the ill are cared for. When the old and ill are not looked after there something wrong with the community," Francis continued, adding "I ask you to pray for me - I am a bit old and a bit sick."

"It's not too bad," The pope added.

As Reuters reports, Francis has previously touched on his elderly state, telling a Mexican radio station that: "I have the feeling that my pontificate will be brief – four or five years, even two or three. Two have already passed."

The pope has previously spoken out on the importance of caring  for the elderly and sick in every community, telling attendees of his weekly general audience in March that it is important to include the elderly in the community.

"We must reawaken our collective sense of gratitude, appreciation and hospitality, helping the elderly know they are a living part of their communities," the pope said, adding that the elderly must be appreciated for their wisdom for younger generations.

"An elderly person is not an alien," he said. "The elderly person is us. Soon, or many years from now -- inevitably anyway -- we will be old, even if we don't think about it."

"If we do not learn to treat the elderly well," the pope said, "we won't be treated well either" when the next generation ages.