Pope Francis was scheduled to address the UN climate summit in Dubai next Saturday. But now the Vatican announces in a statement that he is forced to cancel.
“The Holy Father’s speech planned for that time has been canceled due to mild flu symptoms,” reads the comment.
During his speech, the Pope was expected to criticize the inaction of several countries’ governments and call for more efforts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
The Pope’s health has come under scrutiny several times in recent months and he has been hospitalized twice in 2023. His deteriorating condition has fueled speculation that the Pope is planning to step down.