Pope Francis Hospitalized Due to Bronchitis

Pope Francis did not read the catechesis of the general audience himself on Wednesday due to his bronchitis. He asked a staff member to read the text for him. Already on Sunday, Francis had to cut short a sermon.

Pope Francis to Stay in Hospital for Five Days

All appointments have been canceled until Monday. Thus, Pope Francis will not visit the Roman film studios Cinecitta as planned on Monday. He was supposed to hold a mass there. The Vatican emphasized that the 88-year-old had begun medication treatment "due to the worsening of his bronchitis in recent days." He is in a "relatively good clinical condition" and has a slightly rising fever. Initial diagnoses indicated a respiratory infection. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni added in response to journalists' questions on Friday evening that the Pope was in good spirits and had been reading the newspaper.

Pope Francis Suffers from Several Health Issues

Pope Francis has been suffering from breathing difficulties for weeks. According to the Holy See, he is holding his meetings at home in the guesthouse Santa Marta to rest. Shortly before his admission to the hospital, the Pope met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Subsequently, Fico spoke with the Vatican's chief diplomat Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Undersecretary Miroslaw Wachowski, the Vatican press office reported. In addition to socio-political issues around the topic of family and education, they also discussed the foreign policy framework. The focus was on the fragile ceasefire in the Middle East and the "ongoing instability in Ukraine and the prospects for peace." With this wording, the Vatican once again deviated from the classification of most European governments, which usually speak of the "Russian war of aggression against Ukraine." Fico, like Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, is a proponent of a negotiated peace with Russia.

Pope Francis has had multiple health issues in recent years. Due to a tissue hernia, the Pontiff had to undergo abdominal surgery in 2023. As early as July 2021, Francis had undergone intestinal surgery. Due to knee pain and sciatica, he frequently uses a wheelchair. This year, the Pope injured his arm in a fall at his residence and had to wear a sling. Despite his health problems, the Argentine continues to attend public appointments. It is unclear how long the Pope will remain in the hospital. It is not ruled out that he will deliver the Angelus prayer on Sunday from a window of the Gemelli Polyclinic, as he did during his hospital stay in 2021.

Private Apartment for Pope Francis in Hospital

Francis has a private apartment on the tenth floor of the Roman Gemelli Clinic, which is permanently reserved for him. He first stayed there in July 2021. The clinic apartment consists of several rooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a small private chapel. Besides the Pope, his staff and closest confidants can stay overnight there. Security measures are high. The polyclinic is only a few kilometers from the Vatican and is therefore quickly accessible. It was opened in 1964, belongs to the Catholic University "Sacro Cuore," and is considered one of the best clinics in Rome. The name goes back to the Franciscan monk Agostino Gemelli, who founded the Catholic University in 1921. The hospital is located on the slopes of Monte Mario and extends over 37 hectares, including a park and church. Francis' predecessor, John Paul II, was admitted to the Gemelli Clinic in 1981 after the assassination attempt on St. Peter's Square. In the following years, he had to go to the hospital on the outskirts about half a dozen times. Here he underwent intestinal surgery in 1992 and hip surgery in 1994. Two years later, the Polish Pope had an appendectomy there.

Francis Second Oldest Pope in History

At 88 years old, Francis is now the second oldest Pope in history. The native Argentine has been in office since 2013 as the successor to Benedict XVI. Only Pope Leo XIII was older according to Vatican records: the Italian died in 1903 at the age of 93. Francis' German predecessor, whose civil name was Joseph Ratzinger, lived to 95 but had resigned nine years before his death at the end of 2022.

(APA/Red)

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