Pope Francis Faces Health Scare: Hospitalized with Bronchitis

After his morning audiences, Francis, who has been out of breath lately and has assigned officials to transcribe his speeches, was admitted, according to the Vatican.

According to the Vatican, Pope was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome for "some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue treatment for ongoing bronchitis in a hospital setting."

The Argentine pope, who assumed leadership of the Catholic Church in 2013, will be lodging in a suite reserved for popes, complete with a chapel.

The pope, who had a portion of his lungs removed when he was a young man, has been having trouble breathing for more than a week and has repeatedly asked aides to read his remarks out loud for him.

Francis, who was panting, claimed he "cannot yet" read his own remarks at his weekly general audience on Wednesday. He smiled and added, "I hope that next time I can."

In an effort to rest and recuperate, he also hosted meetings at his house on February 6 and 7.

In March 2023, Francis spent three nights in the hospital due to bronchitis, which was resolved with antibiotics.

Additionally, he had to postpone a trip to Dubai to attend the United Nations COP28 climate change meeting in December of that year because of another episode of bronchitis.
 

Inflamed colon is one of the health problems that have plagued the Argentine pope in recent years. He also had surgery to repair a hernia.

Due to chronic knee problems, he has been in a wheelchair since 2022 and utilizes a cane when he does stand up.

In the last few months, he has also fallen a few times, injuring his forearm in January and getting a big bruise on his right jaw in December after falling out of bed.

Francis hardly ever sleeps despite his health issues. He finished a four-nation journey in September, which was the longest and most extensive of his pontificate.

He maintains a hectic schedule, sometimes attending a dozen meetings in a single morning, and he never takes vacations.

Francis's health problems frequently lead to conjecture about his future, especially after Benedict XVI, his predecessor, resigned in 2013 due to declining health.

Francis has stated that he is going nowhere for the time being, but he has left open the possibility of resigning should he be unable to do his duties.

Francis stated that he "did not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning" in a memoir that was released last year.

He wrote that resignation is a "distant possibility" that would only be warranted in the case of "a serious physical impediment."