26 May 2023, The Tablet

Pope unwell with fever, Vatican confirms

by Hannah Brockhaus, CNA


Pope unwell with fever, Vatican confirms

Pope Francis at the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square on May 24, 2023.
Daniel Ibanez/CNA

Pope Francis canceled meetings on Friday morning due to a fever, a Vatican spokesman confirmed.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, told CNA that “due to a feverish condition, Pope Francis did not receive in audience this morning”.

As of Friday afternoon, the pope does not have any public appointments scheduled for 27 May, according to the Vatican calendar. He is currently scheduled to say Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the solemnity of Pentecost on 28 May, followed by the recitation of the Regina Caeli antiphon.

Pope Francis, 86, was hospitalised for four days at the end of March for a lung infection.

During his return flight from a three-day trip to Budapest, Hungary, a month later the pope said his “body responded well to the treatment. Thank God.”

This week Pope Francis had both public and closed-door meetings with Italian bishops for their 77th general assembly. He also led his weekly Wednesday morning audience with the public.

On Thursday 25 May, Francis met with a group of religious sisters, with bishops and lay delegates of the synodal journey in Italy, and with participants in a congress hosted by Scholas Occurentes.

Also on May 25, Pope Francis gave an exclusive interview in Spanish to Telemundo News.


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