Vatican Announces Cancellation of Saturday Morning Audiences by Pope Francis Due to Mild Flu

The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis has canceled his audiences scheduled for Saturday morning due to a slight fever.

The statement from the Vatican cited “a mild flu” as the reason for the cancellation.

Pope Francis is set to travel to Dubai on Friday for the COP28 conference on climate change, which is a global challenge he has been deeply concerned about during his papacy.

Pope Francis, who will turn 87 next month, has been asked about his health in a recent interview. After setbacks that included abdominal surgery just a few months ago to repair a hernia and remove intestinal scarring, Francis humorously replied, “Still alive, you know,” which has become his standard line.