Pope can’t make today’s afternoon session

At the end of Monday’s morning session of a synod of bishops at the Vatican, the secretary-general of the gathering, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, made an announcement about the afternoon session, scheduled to begin at 4.30 p.m. (1430 GMT).

Just before the microphones on the dais were turned off, reporters following the synod on closed circuit television could hear the Pope telling Eterovic in Italian: "Unfortunately at 4 p.m. I have an appointment with the dentist."