Pope Francis cancels audiences due to flu ahead of Europe trip

The Vatican has announced the cancellation of scheduled audiences with Pope Francis due to a case of the flu, which has forced the Holy Father to withdraw from his duties temporarily.

The Vatican announced on Monday that all audiences scheduled for that day would be canceled due to Pope Francis's mild flu condition. The Holy See's press office stated that the decision to cancel the meetings was made as a precautionary measure related to the Holy Father's upcoming foreign trip.

The statement emphasized that the cancellation of the audience is a precautionary measure.

Due to a mild flu-like condition and as a precautionary measure considering the upcoming visit, the papal audiences scheduled for today are canceled – informed the Vatican press office.

The Vatican has not provided detailed information about the course of the Pope's illness. Still, the mild flu condition does not threaten the fulfillment of upcoming duties.

Pope Francis is preparing for a four-day visit to Luxembourg and Belgium, which will begin this Thursday.

It is worth remembering that just a few days ago, on September 13, Pope Francis returned from a pilgrimage to Asia and Oceania. Intensive travels and numerous diplomatic duties can be challenging for the 87-year-old Holy Father, who, despite his age, remains actively involved in the Church's activities on the international stage.

Despite the temporary indisposition, the Vatican does not foresee any changes in the Pope's plans for the coming weeks, including the planned trip to Western Europe.