Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Pope Francis and his predecessor Pope Benedict both received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this week, the Vatican said.
"I can confirm that as part of the vaccination program of the Vatican City State, as of today, the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to Pope Francis and to the Pope Emeritus," Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said Wednesday, according to Vatican News.