Pope Francis cancels engagements due to mild flu symptoms, Vatican says

Pope Francis has cancelled his engagements for Monday morning due to persistent but mild flu symptoms, the Vatican press office said in a short statement, adding that the pontiff did not have a fever.

The statement indicated the decision was taken as a precautionary measure.

Francis was well enough on Sunday to celebrate his weekly Angelus prayer from the Vatican window overlooking St Peter’s Square, a day after cancelling a public audience because of a mild flu-like condition.

The Vatican calendar has no public audiences scheduled for the Pope on Monday morning, but he may have had other private engagements.

On Saturday, in another brief announcement, the Vatican press office said the 87-year-old pontiff was forced to scrap a planned audience with Roman deacons as a precaution due to a “mild, flu-like condition”.

Over the past few months, Francis had to cancel some activities and one international trip due to his fragile health.