According to the Vatican, Pope Francis canceled an audience as a precaution after coming down with a mild flu
From
GIADA ZAMPANO Associated Press
February 24, 2024, 4:25 a.m. ET
• 2 min reading
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis canceled an audience scheduled for Saturday as a precaution after coming down with a mild flu, the Vatican press office said in a brief statement, without providing further details.
A meeting between Francis and Roman deacons was planned for the morning.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said later Saturday that the pope's weekly Angelus address on Sunday had yet to be confirmed and that no further health updates were expected that day.
The 87-year-old pope has had several health problems in recent years. At the end of November, he had to cancel some of his activities and an international trip due to breathing problems. A scan at the time ruled out pulmonary complications. Francis had part of a lung removed when he was young and still living in his native Argentina.
In April, the pope spent three days in Rome's Gemelli Hospital because, according to the Vatican, he was suffering from bronchitis. He was discharged after receiving intravenous antibiotics.
Francis also spent 10 days in the same hospital in July 2021 after undergoing intestinal surgery for a narrowed intestine. He was readmitted in June 2023 for surgery to repair an abdominal hernia and remove scars from previous surgeries.
When Francis was asked about his health in a recent television interview, he quipped what has become his standard line: “You know, still alive.”
Over the past two years, Francis has repeatedly indicated that he would follow the example of his predecessor Benedict XVI. would be prepared to resign if his health deteriorated to such an extent that he was no longer eligible to lead the Catholic Church. However, in a television interview last month, he said he felt in good health and denied any immediate plans to resign.
Speculation about Francis' health and the future of his pontificate has increased following Benedict's death in late 2022. Benedict's resignation in 2013 marked a turning point for the church, as he became the first pontiff to step down in six centuries.