VATICAN CITY, Jan 31 (AFP) - Pope John Paul II has cancelled a weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square this Wednesday because of a cold, the Vatican said.
Earlier, a Vatican spokesman had spoken of influenza symptoms that had forced the pope to cancel Monday engagements.
"Because of flu symptoms which began yesterday, the Holy Father was advised to suspend the audiences scheduled for today," spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement.
But authorised Vatican sources said later the 84 year-old pontiff was suffering from a cold rather than influenza, and that a slight fever on Sunday had now abated.
The Vatican switchboard confirmed the Wednesday audience would be cancelled, contrary to earlier information indicating that it would take place.
They said the pontiff's forthcoming engagements would be reviewed case by case to see whether he was up to the strain.
The pope was scheduled Tuesday to receive Swiss bishops.
Pope John Paul suffers from Parkinson's disease that sometimes causes him difficulty in speaking. But only rarely does he cancel official engagements for health reasons, despite his frail condition and advanced age.
World political and religious leaders have many times paid tribute to the dignity with which the frail pontiff bears his suffering and it is rare that he misses a public engagement.
The last time was in September 2003, because of gastric problems which had raised concerns for his health, especially after his visit to Slovakia just a few days previously appeared to have left him exhausted.
He has previously had to cancel public appearances because of flu, which is particularly dangerous for the elderly, in January 1990 and February 1997. The pope was noticeably hoarse during his regular weekly Angelus address from his apartment window overlooking Saint Peter's Square on Sunday.
He was however well enough on Monday to formally receive, as planned, the latest edition of the Pontifical yearbook, which reveals the latest statistics regarding vocations in the worldwide Roman Catholic church.
Despite his hoarseness on Sunday, the pope appeared in reasonably good form, given his age and infirmity due to a long battle with Parkinson's.
He joked with young children who joined him for the Angelus to help him release a dove, symbolising a message of peace, which was reluctant to fly off from his apartment window.
01/31/2005 20:16 GMT - AFP