Vatican confirms plans for Belgium, Luxembourg trip after pope cancels audiences due to illness

Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican has confirmed that plans remain in place for Pope Francis to go to Belgium and Luxembourg. That follows the cancellation of all of his audiences on Monday because of a “slight flu-like state.” Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni says the cancellation only concerned Monday’s events. Francis is to visit Luxembourg on Thursday and then spend the rest of the week in Belgium, ending with a Mass in Brussels on Sunday. The 87-year-old pope has had a packed schedule since returning from an 11-day journey through Asia on Sept. 13. It was the longest and farthest trip of his pontificate.