Pope Francis Suffers Respiratory Attacks Amid Hospitalization for Pneumonia
Pope Francis suffered two respiratory attacks on Monday, more than two weeks into a hospital stay for pneumonia. Doctors had to intervene to extract a large buildup of mucus from the lungs of the 88-year-old, who is battling double pneumonia at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome. “Today, the Holy Father experienced two episodes of acute respiratory failure, caused by a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm,” the Vatican said in a statement released on Monday evening. The medical team looking after him performed an aspiration procedure, and the Pope, who has been hospitalized since February 14, was placed back on non-invasive mechanical ventilation.
Despite the acute breathing difficulties, the Vatican stated that the Pope remained alert and fully cooperative with doctors, though his prognosis remains guarded. This latest respiratory crisis appears to be another significant setback in his attempts to recover from bronchitis and pneumonia in both lungs. He has not been seen in public since being admitted, and the Vatican has yet to release any photographs or videos of him. Although he has been hospitalized in the past, this marks his longest absence from public life in his 12-year papacy, leading to speculation about a potential resignation or concerns that the end of his life may be approaching.
The Vatican insists that the Pope remains actively engaged in decision-making despite his health struggles, signing official documents with the words “From Gemelli Polyclinic,” a hospital that has cared for a succession of ailing pontiffs. However, medical experts warn that the latest breathing attacks are a concerning development. “The situation continues to be critical,” said Fabrizio Pregliasco, a leading Italian virologist who gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is clear that if things don’t improve, one possibility would be the necessity of intubation. But we just have to wait to see whether the antibiotic treatment works.”
Senior Vatican figures have expressed deep concern over the Pope’s illness, particularly at a time when global conflicts demand his voice of moderation. “Pope Francis’s voice is of vital importance for all the world because he’s the only authority who speaks of peace, who condemns war, all the wars under way starting with Ukraine,” said Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, the Vatican’s ambassador to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. “I’m praying for the Holy Father every day. Like millions of people are doing around the world, I pray that he gets better very soon,” he told La Repubblica newspaper.
Archbishop Gaenswein, who was for many years the personal secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, was exiled to the Baltics after publishing a 2023 memoir critical of Pope Francis. As the Pope’s health remains fragile, the world watches closely, hoping for his recovery while considering the broader implications for the Catholic Church.
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