It was just three weeks ago when the papal plane touched down in Indonesia, marking the beginning of Pope Francis’ longest and farthest trip of his pontificate.
Upon his return to Rome after a 12-day visit to Asia and Oceania, the Holy Father resumed his agenda less than 24 hours later, showing no signs of health issues before, during, or after the trip—until now.
Pope Francis canceled his planned Monday audiences due to what the Vatican described as a mild flu, calling it a preventive measure ahead of his upcoming trip to Luxembourg and Belgium.
On Thursday, the Holy Father will head to Luxembourg, where he will meet with the prime minister, other authorities, and the Catholic community at the Luxembourg Cathedral of Notre Dame.
Then, on Friday, Pope Francis will travel to Brussels, Belgium, where he is scheduled to meet with civil authorities, religious leaders, and university students. In Belgium, where roughly half of the 12 million citizens identify as Catholic, the Pope will celebrate Mass at a stadium on Sunday before returning to Rome.
The 87-year-old pontiff has been using a wheelchair for two years and has battled several health issues, including colon surgery in 2021 and a hospital stay in 2023 for a respiratory infection.
As a young man, he had part of one lung removed due to a similar infection. Despite these challenges, none of it has slowed him down. He continues his apostolic journeys, always asking those he meets to pray for him, saying, “I pray for you. I pray for you. And don’t forget to pray for me.”
When Pope Francis returns to the Vatican, he will have a busy autumn ahead. Immediately after his trip to Belgium, the Holy Father will preside over a three-week Synod of Bishops focused on the future of the Church.