The Vatican press office said in a brief statement that Pope Francis had canceled an audience scheduled for Saturday out of an abundance of caution after coming down with a mild flu, without providing further details.
The Pope is scheduled to meet with deacons from Rome in the morning.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Saturday afternoon that the pope’s weekly Angelus address on Sunday was still to be confirmed and no further health updates were expected that day.
The 87-year-old pope has had some health problems in recent years. At the end of November, he had to cancel some events and international travel due to respiratory problems. At the time, scans ruled out pulmonary complications. When he was young, he had part of his lung removed in his native Argentina.
In April 2023, he spent three days at the University Hospital of Gemelli with what the Vatican said was bronchitis. He was discharged after receiving intravenous antibiotics.
In July 2021, Francisco also stayed at the same medical center for 10 days after undergoing surgery for intestinal stricture. He was readmitted to the hospital in July 2023 for surgery to repair an abdominal hernia and remove scar tissue from previous interventions.
In a recent television interview, when asked about his fragile health, the pope joked that his standard response was: “You know, I’m still alive.”
Francis has repeatedly said over the past two years that he would be willing to follow the lead of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, and resign if his health deteriorates to the point where he becomes an obstacle to leading the Catholic Church. However, in a television interview last month, he said he felt in good health and denied immediate plans to resign.
Speculation about Francis’ health and his pontifical future has increased since Benedict XVI’s death in late 2022. Benedict XVI’s resignation in 2013 marked a turning point for the church as he became the first pope to leave office in six centuries.