Pope Francis has canceled meetings this week after experiencing breathing difficulties, the Vatican shared on Monday.
The 86-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church fell ill ahead of scheduled meetings with symptoms that included inflammation of the lungs.
#PopeFrancis Forced To Cancel Meetings Over Breathing Difficulties: by Jake Smith at CDN - #PopeFrancis has canceled a series of meetings this week after falling ill, the Vatican said on Monday. The Pope is suffering breathing difficulties due to… https://t.co/LAy1XjlpIc pic.twitter.com/RNaTLCZKd6
— Conservative Daily News (@CDNPosts) November 28, 2023
“Today I cannot appear at the window because I have this problem of inflammation of the lungs,” the Pope said during his weekly Angelus address on Sunday, adding that a priest would read the day’s reflection, according to the Daily Caller.
"The Pope said that he still plans to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday to attend the 2023 United Nations Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai. More than 70,000 people are expected to attend the climate confab, including world leaders, delegates and government officials," it added.
BREAKING: Pope Francis cancels meetings over breathing difficultieshttps://t.co/Ca6Q8kwXmqhttps://t.co/Ca6Q8kwXmq
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) November 27, 2023
“The Holy Father’s audiences scheduled for this morning are canceled due to a mild flu,” the Holy See Press Office said.
Bruni added in his emailed statement that: "The Pope’s condition is good and stationary, he has no fever and his respiratory situation is clearly improving."
Pope Francis postponed a series of meetings due to a lung inflammation and breathing difficulties, the Vatican said. https://t.co/GXgeA3K90w
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 27, 2023
"Francis had surgery in June this year to treat a hernia and remove painful scarring from previous operations. When a reporter asked him how he was when leaving the hospital, he replied: 'Still alive,'" NBC News reported.
"In 2021, he had a 13-inch section of his bowel removed because of narrowing of his intestines," it noted.
Despite the illness, Francis was able to receive a visit from the president of Paraguay Santiago Palacios on Monday, according to the Vatican. The Pope has also remained a vocal proponent of peace in both Ukraine and concerning the rest war in Israel.
He did, however, cancel a gathering on Saturday over the illness, leaving speculation over the Pope's health ahead of the Vatican's statement.
The Pope remains in stable condition yet is scheduled to rest for now following his latest health concerns that have been the focus of many Catholics worldwide.
