Pope Francis, 88, is recovering in Rome’s Gemelli hospital after being treated for double pneumonia, which developed from bronchitis. Despite some improvement allowing a reduction in medication, doctors confirmed he is “not out of danger,” but not in immediate risk of death. The Vatican emphasized the importance of his health and recovery, downplaying speculation about his ability to continue leading the Catholic Church. Pope Francis, who has a chronic lung condition, has been mobile in the hospital and maintains good spirits. His health issues raise ongoing concerns regarding his future as pope amid increasing physical challenges.
Vatican City:
Pope Francis has “rested well” during his eighth night in the hospital, where the 88-year-old is being treated for double pneumonia, according to the Vatican’s update on Saturday. Francis was initially admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 due to bronchitis, which unfortunately progressed to pneumonia in both lungs, raising significant concerns.
During a press conference on Friday, the pontiff’s doctors stated there was no immediate threat to his life; however, they emphasized that he was “not out of danger.”
The Vatican’s early morning briefing on Saturday was concise, omitting details about his meals and simply stating, “Pope Francis rested well.”
Professor Sergio Alfieri from the Gemelli informed reporters on Friday that the pontiff’s condition has shown slight improvement, which has enabled the medical team to gradually reduce his medication.
“Is the pope out of danger? No, he is not,” Alfieri confirmed.
He added, “If you ask whether he is at risk of dying at this moment, the answer remains no.”
This hospitalization has raised questions about Francis’s capability to continue leading the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Catholics. However, Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin referred to such concerns as “useless speculation” in an interview published Saturday in Italy’s Corriere della Sera.
“At this moment, our focus is solely on the Holy Father’s health, his recovery, and his eventual return to the Vatican,” the cardinal stated.
Parolin mentioned that he had not yet visited the pope, indicating that he was available if needed, but so far there had been no requirement for his visit. “It’s preferable for him to have minimal visitors to ensure he can rest and that the treatment remains effective,” he added.
In hospital all week
Francis is accommodated in a special papal suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital and has been able to move between his bed, a chair, and an adjacent chapel where he prays. Alfieri stated that he would be in the hospital for “at least all of next week.”
“If we were to send him to Santa Marta (his residence at the Vatican), he would start working again as usual,” he remarked.
When asked if the pope would be healthy enough to lead the Angelus prayer from his hospital window this Sunday, Alfieri mentioned, “The pope will decide.”
He explained that “the real risk in such scenarios is that the germs may enter the bloodstream,” which could lead to sepsis, a potentially fatal condition.
Doctor Luigi Carbone noted that the pope, who had a part of his lung removed in his youth, now has a chronic lung condition and “is by nature a fragile patient.”
Nevertheless, Alfieri highlighted that “he possesses incredible resilience—how many others could have endured all these infections along with his workload?”
He added that Francis is experiencing breathing difficulties but is not on any life-support machines and remains “in good spirits.” He retains the wit of someone in their 70s or perhaps even 50s.
However, the pope’s absence from the Vatican raises concerns regarding the future of a leader with a demanding schedule who has faced increasing health challenges in recent years.
Since 2021, he has undergone surgeries for colon issues and hernias, struggles with obesity, and endures ongoing hip and knee pain, which often necessitates the use of a wheelchair.
Francis is also among the oldest popes in history—and while he has maintained that the papacy is a lifelong role, he has left the possibility of resigning open, as his predecessor Benedict XVI did.
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