Shortened schedule due to health reasons, just a few days away from my 87th birthday

vatican city — Pope Francis is receiving intravenous antibiotics to treat inflammation of his lungs and will postpone some appointments on his schedule, although he does not have pneumonia or a fever, the Vatican said Monday.

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On Sunday, Francis himself revealed that he was suffering from inflammation as he explained why he did not make his weekly appearance to greet people gathered in St. Peter’s Square from his windows. Instead, he expressed his blessing in the chapel of the Vatican hotel where he lives.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican’s press office, said in a written statement that the inflammation was causing Francis, who turns 87 next month, to have trouble breathing.

Read here: Francis’ ten years as pope: Highlights of his pontificate

“The pope’s condition is good and stable, he has no fever and his respiratory condition has improved significantly,” Bruni said. A CT scan of the pope at a Rome hospital on Saturday afternoon ruled out pneumonia, the press official added.

He said “a number of important commitments planned for the coming days have been postponed to allow him to devote the time and energy required” to recovery.

Bruni added that “other appointments that are of an institutional nature or are easier to maintain have been maintained, taking into account the current health situation”.

Public information officials did not specify which plans were delayed. Pope Francis received Paraguayan President Santiago Pena on Monday for a half-hour private audience at his official residence instead of the Apostolic Palace.

Francis said in a televised address on Sunday that he will travel to the United Arab Emirates for a three-day visit starting on December 1 to deliver a speech on climate change at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28.

Francis did not appear from his window overlooking St. Peter’s Square every Sunday, a day after the Vatican said the pope was suffering from a mild flu. Instead, the traditional midday blessing was televised live from the chapel of the Vatican hotel where Francis lives.

“Good Sunday, dear brothers and sisters! I can’t look out the window today because I have inflammation problems in my lungs,” Francisco said. The pope, who turns 87 on December 17, added that a priest sitting next to him would read him his thoughts on the day.

Among those comments, Francis said he will travel to the United Arab Emirates for the COP28 climate conference and will deliver a speech to attendees as planned on Saturday.

“In addition to war, our world is threatened by another great danger, namely climate change, which puts life on earth, especially the life of future generations, at risk,” the priest read out the pope’s words.

“I am grateful to all those who have accompanied this journey with prayer and commitment, keeping in mind the protection of our common home,” he added, using the term he uses to describe the planet.

In the video, the pope’s right hand can be seen with a bandage and what looks like a cannula. The Vatican did not respond to an inquiry from The Associated Press about whether Francis was receiving intravenous therapy or any other treatment.

The discrepancy between the pope’s comments that he suffered from lung inflammation and the Vatican’s statement a day earlier that Francis underwent a CT scan at a Rome hospital “to rule out the risk of complications” was not initially clarified . “Lungs” and the test results came back negative.

A few months ago, the pope was hospitalized for three days with pneumonia, which the Vatican described as bronchitis, and required treatment with intravenous antibiotics.

This weekend saw strong winds and unusually cold temperatures for late autumn in Rome.

The pope’s voice was lowered and at times he seemed out of breath as he explained in his brief introduction why he would not appear at the window, and at the end he added their joint request “Do not forget to pray for me. “

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Francis D’Emilio/AP