Francis skipped his weekly on Sunday appearance at a window overlooking St. Peter's Square, a day after the Vatican said he was suffering from a mild flu. Instead, Francis gave the traditional noon blessing in an appearance televised live from the chapel in the Vatican hotel where he lives

"Brothers and sisters, happy Sunday. Today I cannot appear at the window because I have this problem of inflammation of the lungs," Francis said

The pontiff, whose 87th birthday is next month, added that a priest, sitting beside him, would read out his day's reflections for him

In those comments, Francis said he was going to the United Arab Emirates for the COP28 gathering on climate change and that he would deliver his speech, as scheduled, on Saturday to the participants. He described the climate change problem as a serious problem, especially for young people

On his right hand he had a bandage and what appeared to be a cannula. The Vatican didn't immediately respond to a query from the AP about whether he was receiving intravenous treatment

Not immediately explained was the discrepancy between the pope saying he has lung inflammation and the Vatican saying a day earlier that Francis had a CT scan at a Rome hospital for pulmonary complications and that the exam was negative

Francis thanked all those who would be following his three-day trip to Dubai with prayers

Francis earlier this year was hospitalized for three days for what he later said was pneumonia and what the Vatican described as a case of bronchitis necessitating treatment with intravenous antibiotics