Pope Francis, the 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church, has canceled all appointments for Monday due to a mild flu diagnosis, Vatican officials announced.
This is as a precautionary measure before his upcoming four-day trip to Luxembourg and Belgium. This decision comes after his recent 12-day tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania, where he participated in over 40 events across four countries, covering nearly 33,000 kilometers.
The Vatican has confirmed that the pope’s planned departure on Thursday for his 46th foreign visit remains on schedule. During his trip to Luxembourg and Belgium, Pope Francis will address pressing issues such as the needs of migrants in Europe and meet with survivors of abuse by Catholic clergy.
Unlike his previous trip, this European visit will have a lighter schedule, with around a dozen events over four days.
Pope Francis has faced several health challenges in recent years, including knee and back pain, which have led to his regular use of a wheelchair.
Despite these challenges, he appeared to be in good form during his recent travels through Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore.
The pope’s ongoing struggles with knee pain and a hip ailment have necessitated the use of a wheelchair during public appearances. However, these health concerns have not deterred him from maintaining an active schedule.
