Pope Francis runs fever and skips meetings, Vatican says

Pope Francis skipped meetings on Friday because he had a fever, the Vatican said.

There were no details about how sick Francis was. The last time he had a fever spike, in March, the 86-year-old pontiff was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with acute bronchitis. He received intravenous antibiotics and was released three days later.

A Vatican official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the pope’s health, said Francis did not receive anyone in audience on Friday “due to a feverish state”.

There were no official hearings scheduled for Friday, but Francis keeps a separate, private and unofficial schedule of meetings with people he receives at his residence.

Francis has had a busy week, chairing a meeting of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, participating in a Thursday afternoon meeting with his school foundation Scholas Occurentes, as well as meeting with several other visiting prelates and dignitaries.

He is due to preside over the Pentecost Mass on Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica, and a sign that he should recover quickly, the Vatican announced on Friday a new official audience with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, scheduled for Monday.