Bad cold forces Pope Francis to cancel audience, skip speeches

Pope Francis attends the Ash Wednesday mass at the Santa Sabina Basilica in Rome, Italy, February 22, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis had to cancel one of his audiences on Thursday because of what the Vatican said was a "bad cold" and skipped reading prepared speeches at other meetings that went ahead.

The 86-year-old pope's Thursday appointments schedule, issued early in the morning, included audiences with three groups and four individuals.