Rome, Nov 29, (dpa/GNA) – Pope Francis, took part in the weekly general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, despite feeling ill.
At the reception, the 86-year-old complained: “I’m still not feeling well with this flu.”
According to the Vatican, the head of the Catholic Church has been suffering from the flu since last weekend.
The pope had to cancel a planned trip to the UN Climate Change Conference, which begins on Thursday in the Arab emirate of Dubai, on the advice of his doctors. Francis celebrates his 87th birthday next month.
In Wednesday’s audience, the Argentinian-born pope had the text that he normally reads himself, read out by another cleric, as he sat next to him. Because of his knee condition, he used a walking stick.
Francis’ health has been increasingly troubled for some time now. He has already been treated twice in hospital this year: first for pneumonia, then he underwent open abdominal surgery under general anaesthetic. According to the Vatican, however, the new infection is not pneumonia this time.
The pope had actually planned to fly to Dubai on Friday for three days, to attend the climate change summit. He would have been the first head of the Catholic Church to ever visit the conferences.
It is possible that Francis will join the conference by video for a speech on Saturday, but the exact plans are not yet known.
GNA