hospital in Rome after falling ill with influenza, several Catholic and Italian media reported. Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the pontiff came down with flu symptoms and was canceling scheduled meetings with Swiss bishops as well as his February 2 weekly general audience. The pope also had been scheduled to preside over a February 2 evening Mass for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the Catholic News Service (CNS) said.
Navarro-Valls insisted the pope had only a "light" bout of the flu, but accepted his doctor’s advice to rest. "As happens with the flu, we will have to see day by day," Navarro-Valls told Vatican Radio.
Citing privacy concerns, the Vatican makes only brief announcements when the pope falls ill, but rarely provides details on the extent of the illness or any medication he may be taking. CNS added.
HEALTH CONCERNS
The news was expected to add to concern within the Catholic Church over the health situation of the pontiff, who is also suffering of Parkinson’s disease and crippling knee and hip ailments. However Vatican officials insist that John Paul has appeared in good form in recent months, appears before pilgrims and tourists twice a week and continues to receive foreign leaders.
Armenia’s president visited the Vatican last week and the president of the European parliament is due on Friday, Catholic news media said.
The last time the pope skipped an audience for illness was in September 2003, when he cancelled his weekly public audience because of a reported intestinal ailment
(BosNewsLife News Center, Catholic and News Sources in Italy).
