Pope cancels agenda again due to ‘mild flu’

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who turned 87 last December, has had several episodes of the flu in recent months. The most recent one was recorded in November last year, when he himself clarified that he suffered from “a very acute form of infectious bronchitis” and that he had to be treated with intravenous antibiotics in addition to other drugs. The illness prevented him from traveling to Dubai for the international climate conference COP28 or from performing Sunday Angelus prayers at the Apostolic Palace. Instead, he did so via video link from Casa Santa Mar, the Vatican residence where he lives, a situation that could be repeated this Sunday if the situation does not improve.

The pope’s most serious health problems occurred last March and June, when he was hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli polyclinic. The first was caused by bronchitis, forcing him to spend three days in hospital, while the second was more serious as he had to undergo surgery under general anesthesia to treat an incarcerated condition that caused a “recurrent” intestinal obstruction Incisional hernia.

Painful and getting worse. The issues relate to an intervention he underwent in July 2021, when part of his colon was removed due to “severe diverticular stricture with signs of sclerosing diverticulitis.”

Despite these health problems and advanced age, Francis did not slow down his schedule, even on trips outside of Rome. In the coming months, he plans to visit Venice, Belgium, Papua New Guinea and Argentina. On your way back to your country of origin, you might make a stop in the Canary Islands to learn first-hand about the immigration realities in the islands.