The Vatican announced in a statement that Pope Francis has canceled an audience scheduled for Saturday, February 24, because he is suffering from “mild influenza.”
“Due to mild flu symptoms, the Pope has canceled today’s scheduled audience as a precaution“, the Holy See said, without providing further details.
Pope Francis, who turned 87 in December and sometimes uses a wheelchair, has suffered a series of health problems with his knees, hips and colon in recent years. He also underwent abdominal hernia surgery in June.
At the end of November, The Bishop of Rome suffered from bronchitis and had to cancel some planned events and celebrate the Angelus at the Papal Palace He did not lean out of the window before the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, and a collaborator had to read his speech in his place.
He later fully recovered and even went to the Plaza de España on December 8 to pay homage to the Immaculate Conception.
Pope Francis underwent a partial lung ablation as a young man, and due to bronchitis he had to cancel a planned trip to Dubai in December 2023, where he was due to attend COP28, the annual climate summit organized by the United Nations.