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ReligionVatican

Pope Francis 'still not well' after canceling COP28 trip

November 29, 2023

The Vatican said Pope Francis' condition had improved, but he still had the flu. The 86-year-old pontiff was set to become the first Catholic Church head to address the UN climate summit.

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Pope Francis arrives in the Paul IV hall on the occasion of the weekly general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
Francis, who has trouble walking due to a knee ailment and sometimes uses a wheelchair, arrived at his Wednesday audience walking, aided by a caneImage: Gregorio Borgia/AP Photo/picture alliance

Pope Francis appeared in public on Wednesday, though he limited his speaking after acknowledging he was "still not well."

Addressing his weekly audience in the Vatican's Paul IV indoor hall, Pope Francis said in a soft voice that his aide would read his main text instead of him, "since I am still not well with this flu and (my) voice is not nice."

What do we know about the pope's health?

The incident comes one day after the Vatican announced the pope was canceling a scheduled trip to Dubai, when he was due to attend the United Nations climate summit COP28. The trip was scheduled to run from Friday to Sunday.

Doctors had asked Francis, who has a lung inflammation causing breathing problems, to cancel the trip. The Vatican said in its announcement that although his condition had improved, the pope still had the flu and "inflammation of the respiratory airways."

He acquiesced to the doctors' request "with great regret," the Vatican added.

It is not yet clear whether Francis will address the conference virtually. The pope has made environmental protection among his papacy's priorities. 

rmt/fb (AP, Reuters)