Pope Francis Battling Bilateral Pneumonia During Hospitalization
Rome, Italy – On the fifth day of his hospitalization, the Vatican has announced that Pope Francis, 88, is suffering from bilateral pneumonia. This news has raised further concerns about the declining health of the beloved pontiff.
The Jesuit pope has been receiving treatment at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome since Friday for a "polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract." A chest scan performed on Tuesday revealed the development of bilateral pneumonia, necessitating additional medication.
"Pope Francis is nevertheless in good spirits," the Vatican stated in a medical bulletin Tuesday evening. However, the complex nature of the infection, occurring amidst bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis, has complicated the treatment plan. The pope is currently receiving antibiotic and cortisone therapy.
Initially, the Vatican cleared the pope’s schedule until Wednesday, but on Tuesday, it canceled his Jubilee audience on Saturday and his Sunday mass. During a press briefing earlier in the day, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni described the situation as stable. He noted that the pope "woke up, had breakfast, and dedicated himself to reading some newspapers, as he regularly does."
Despite repeated health concerns in recent years, including hip problems, knee pain requiring a wheelchair, surgeries, and respiratory infections, Pope Francis has maintained a relentless pace at the Vatican. This has been a source of concern for his doctors, who have repeatedly advised him to slow down.
His current hospitalization, the fourth in less than four years, has reignited questions about his fragile health, especially since it coincides with the Catholic Church’s Jubilee year, which involves a packed schedule of events, many of which are presided over by the pope.
On Tuesday morning, pilgrims and tourists gathered in St. Peter’s Square under a cloudy sky. They were greeted by agents in green vests, guiding thousands of Jubilee 2025 pilgrims. "I’m a bit worried about the pope’s health, and I hope he gets better soon," said Birgit Jungreuthmayer, a 48-year-old Austrian Catholic tourist, to AFP. "I trust the medical treatment he’s getting from the hospital doctors, and (…) I know they will do their best."
The pope’s health has made headlines in major Italian newspapers on Tuesday. "Pope Francis’ hospitalization continues," wrote Il Corriere della Sera, highlighting the busy schedule that preceded his illness and stating that ten days of antibiotic and cortisone infusions had not been enough to cure him.
Before his hospitalization, the head of the Catholic Church, who had part of a lung removed when he was younger, appeared weakened, with a swollen face and a strained voice. He had repeatedly delegated the reading of his speeches to his assistants.
Known for his strength of character, the pope prefers to push forward without slowing down or lightening his schedule, even at the risk of straining his health. In September, he embarked on the longest trip of his pontificate, a 12-day journey to Asia and Oceania.
Since his election in 2013, the pope has always left open the possibility of resigning if his health prevents him from fulfilling his duties, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. However, in a book published in 2024, Francis stated that he had "no serious reason to think about resigning." Resignation, he said, is a "distant possibility" that would only be justified in the event of "a serious physical impediment."
"I continue," he reaffirmed in an autobiography published in January. "The reality is simply that I am old."
