Among Pope Francis’ activities for the day was a meeting with the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and those participating in a Christmas contest.

Pope Francis said in 2021 he saw a psychiatrist in his native Argentina when he was a young priest who helped him deal with anxiety during the time of the military dictatorship. He said he had learnt to deal with the problem through various mechanisms, including listening to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Pope Francis canceled all scheduled audiences on Monday due to a "slight flu-like state," the Vatican confirmed. Despite the precautionary move, officials assured that plans for the 87-year-old to visit Belgium and Luxembourg later this week remain unchanged.