The Vatican says Pope Francis will be hospitalized for several days for treatment of a pulmonary infection after experiencing difficulty breathing in recent days.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says Francis, 86, does not have COVID-19, but requires several days of therapy.
He said Wednesday that Francis had been suffering some breathing trouble in recent days and went to the Gemelli hospital for tests.
“The tests showed a respiratory infection (COVID-19 infection excluded) that will require some days of medical therapy,” Bruni’s statement said.
Pope Francis went to a Rome hospital on Wednesday and canceled his audiences for the next two days to undergo previously scheduled tests, the Vatican said.
The Vatican provided no details, including how long the 86-year-old pope would remain at Gemelli University Hospital, where he underwent surgery in 2021. But his audiences through Friday were canceled, raising questions about Francis’ participation during the Vatican’s Holy Week activities starting Sunday.
“The Holy Father has been at Gemelli since this afternoon for some previously scheduled checkups,” the Vatican said in a one-line statement from spokesman Matteo Bruni.
Francis appeared in relatively good form during his regularly scheduled general audience Wednesday, though he grimaced strongly while getting into and out of the “popemobile.”
The purpose of the medical tests wasn’t immediately clear. Francis had part of one lung removed when he was a young man due to a respiratory infection, and he often speaks in a whisper.
He spent 10 days at the Gemelli hospital following the 2021 surgery for an intestinal narrowing, which included the removal of 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon.
Francis is due to celebrate Palm Sunday this weekend, kicking off the Vatican’s Holy Week observances: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and finally Easter Sunday on April 9.
He has used a wheelchair for over a year due to strained ligaments in his right knee and a small knee fracture. He has said the injury was healing and been walking more with a cane of late.
Francis also has said he resisted having surgery for the knee problems because he didn’t respond well to general anesthesia during the 2021 intestinal surgery.
He said soon after the surgery that he had recovered fully and could eat normally. But in a Jan. 24 interview with The Associated Press, Francis said his diverticulosis, or bulges in the intestinal wall, had “returned.”
i read some of the comments below. i use to be a catholic when i was a child …until i married. then over time i changed…..i have learned over the years to never belittle any religion because its a stepping stone…..so i believe that Christ would wish the pope well. i had no idea he had gone through so much pain and health problems. i mean having a lung removed and part of your intestine …my gosh ….that is hard and he is suffering as catholics would say his penance here on earth. i wish him well even though i am not a catholic. he is 86yrs old so his time is short….and we should never do anything else if we are stewards of Christ…amen
Good hope this satanic piece of shit is dead soon. Die you old corrupt fuck.
He’s 86 and hospitalized. At long last, Catholics everywhere are praying to God that this “pope” is heading off to meet his maker…and that maker is not God. I wish him a rapid journey back to the left side of Satans throne, which is where he ascended from. Perhaps we will get a true man of God next time.
This current figurehead is nothing but a global elite puppet, PLACED after the last Pope gave up the throne, (which has NEVER been done in the history of the world). He’s a fake. He pushes climate change BULLSHIT and homogenizes every commandment in the Bible.
The socialistic ideology of this ‘Pope’ has turned hundreds of thousands away from the Catholic Church and into non-denominational churches, where they discovered – a revelation. Something which was taught to us by Martin Luther centuries ago. This is it: Contrary to what the Catholic Church has preached, you DO NOT need the Catholic Church to intercede for you, in order to get to heaven. You have a direct line to heaven through the Bible. Hopefully, MILLIONS more will leave the cult called the Catholic Church.
I’m a proud ‘recovering Catholic’ – 50 years and counting.