COVID-19 vaccination advocate, Pope Francis, appears to have taken a jab at one of his colleagues, while urging people to get immunised.
Speaking to media during a flight from Slovakia to Rome, the pontiff expressed a level of confusion over vaccine hesitancy amongst his flock.
"It's a bit strange, because humanity has a history of friendship with vaccines," Pope Francis said.
"As children [we are vaccinated] for measles, polio... all the children were vaccinated and no one said anything.
"Even in the College of Cardinals there are some vaccine negationists.
"But one of them, poor thing, has been hospitalised with the virus.
"These are the ironies of life."
While the Pope did not name names, newsagency Reuters reported that vaccine sceptic, US Cardinal Raymond Burke, was in hospital after contracting COVID-19.
It also seem that the pontiff's pro-vaccine message had failed to sway some Australian Catholics, with Archbishop of Hobart, Julian Porteous, saying he was "obligated to respect the decision of those members of the clergy who have a conscientious objection to receiving one of the COVID-19 vaccines currently available in Australia".
However, Porteous stressed that he has followed the Pope's advice and has received a double dose.
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