Pope cancels trip to Dubai due to “flu symptoms”

He made environmental protection a cornerstone of his ten years of pontificate. However, on the advice of his doctors, Pope Francis canceled his planned trip to Dubai on Tuesday November 28 as part of the United Nations climate summit. “Although the general health of the Holy Father has improved, regarding his flu symptoms and inflammation of the respiratory tract, doctors have asked the Pope not to make the trip”announced Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni in a press release.

Earlier in the day, during a Vatican briefing on the trip, Matteo Bruni told reporters that the pope would participate. He assured that the pope still wished to participate in the discussions in Dubai and that the modalities of this participation would soon be defined.

In Dubai, Francis aimed to castigate countries for their lack of action on climate change and seek to persuade them to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. It was also expected to play a role in rebuilding trust between nations vulnerable to climate change and wealthy, consumerist polluters.