LONDON -- Pope Francis fell and injured his arm on Thursday in his residence, the Vatican said.

"This morning, due to a fall at the Santa Marta house, Pope Francis suffered a bruise to his right forearm, without fractures," the Vatican said in a statement in Italian. "The arm was immobilized as a precautionary measure."

The pontiff, 88, was seen in a photo released by the Vatican with his arm in what appeared to be a soft sling.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News' Joe Simonetti and Helena Skinner contributed to this report.