Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is seen in this June 30, 2021, file photo. (OSV News/Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)
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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized following an injury sustained during an official trip in Luxembourg.
Pelosi, 84, is in Europe with a bipartisan congressional delegation to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, a pivotal conflict in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, confirmed the accident in a statement but provided few details on the nature of her injury.
A week ago, on Dec. 6, Pelosi met the National Catholic Reporter at her Capitol Hill office for an exclusive interview about current political events, her Catholic legacy in her career, and her clashes with U.S. Catholic bishops. Pelosi looked visibly energetic, sharp and said she maintains a busy daily schedule.
Pelosi "is currently receiving excellent treatment from doctors and medical professionals" and is unable to attend the remainder of events planned for the trip, Krager said.
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No specifics were shared regarding her condition. A spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for further information.
A person familiar with the mishap told The New York Times that Pelosi tripped going down marble stairs at the Grand Ducal Palace and took a hard fall. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pelosi fall occurred while participating in a group photo with fellow lawmakers and officials.
A photo of Pelosi with the congressional delegation was posted by the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg on Friday morning.
Krager said Pelosi was "was personally and officially honored to travel with the distinguished delegation, many of whom had family members who fought in World War II — including her uncle, Johnny. She looks forward to returning home to the U.S. soon."
In an interview to discuss her recent memoir, The Art of Power, Pelosi defended her Catholic identity as rooted in personal spirituality rather than institutional authority, and discussed a Communion ban issued by her bishop, Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco. Pelosi acknowledged that the ban is being reviewed at the Vatican.
