A new stop in the activities of Pope Francis due to health problems. 'Due to a mild flu state, as a precaution, the Pope has cancelled the audiences scheduled for today', the Vatican press room announced in the morning. It would be a mild indisposition, due to seasonal illnesses, and 'at the moment', as reported from the Vatican, tomorrow's Angelus is confirmed.
Pope Francis and Respiratory Problems
Respiratory problems, therefore, reappear and the Pope today was looked after at Casa Santa Marta. For the deacons of Rome, who are preparing to be ordained priests and who were supposed to meet Pope Francis today, there is only a speech that was given to them. It was supposed to be the Pope's first public outing after a week of spiritual exercises, which began last Sunday. Respiratory problems had already stopped Pope Francis at the end of November when, at the last moment, he had to cancel the trip to Dubai for Cop 28. But also in December and January, on a couple of occasions, he had to give up reading the text of the Angelus or that of the general audience because of difficulty in speaking. Even in private audiences with groups, in recent weeks, on some occasions, a shortness of breath and voice was felt; however normal in this season, especially for an 87-year-old man.
Upcoming Commitments
But even if today's indisposition is 'mild', as stated by the Vatican press room, there are uncertainties about the Pope's commitments. Next week he will have a busy schedule of planned commitments and in a month the Easter rites will begin, the most intense, and also demanding, moment in the life of the Church. On April 28, he is expected in Venice, on May 18 in Verona and on July 7 in Trieste. These are the visits already officially announced. Then there is that long trip to Asia that the Pope would like to make in August. And then, if the conditions, his personal ones and those of the country, allow it, there is always the idea of going to Argentina, his country, from which he has been missing since 2013, i.e. since he was elected Pope. And a complex agenda to which Pope Francis does not want to give up and the medical staff who follow him are fully aware of this. But every now and then they manage to suggest some stops, even 'as a precaution', like today's.
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