Pope Francis Cancels Audiences Due to Flu-Like Symptoms

ROME — Pope Francis has cancelled his audiences on Monday due to a “slight flu-like state,” just days before his scheduled trip to Belgium and Luxembourg, the Vatican announced.

The move was described as a “precaution” in a statement from the Vatican.

Francis is scheduled to visit Luxembourg on Thursday and then spend the rest of the week in Belgium, culminating in a Mass in Brussels on Sunday.

Francis, who is 87 years old, has faced several health challenges in recent years. Despite this, he has maintained a busy schedule of audiences since returning from his four-nation, 11-day trip to Asia on September 13. This journey marked the longest and farthest of his papacy.