On February 17, the Vatican announced that it was extending Pope Francis’ hospital stay, as he is suffering from a “complex” health issue stemming from an infection of his respiratory tract.
The announcement was made via a statement from the Vatican Press Office, which noted that the 88-year-old Pope’s hospital stay was being extended indefinitely after tests showed a “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract,” which has prompted a “further modification of therapy.”
“All the investigations carried out to date indicate a complex clinical condition that will require an adequate hospital stay,” the statement continued.
On the afternoon of February 18, the Vatican Press Office issued another statement about the Pope’s condition, revealing that a “following-up chest CT scan, to which the Holy Father was subjected this afternoon,” had “revealed the onset of bilateral pneumonia, requiring additional pharmacological treatment.”
“Nevertheless, Pope Francis remains in good spirits,” the statement concluded.
Update from the Holy See Press Office. pic.twitter.com/0flY1suEMs
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) February 18, 2025
The Pope was initially hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on February 14 to receive treatment for persistent bronchitis and to undergo some “necessary diagnostic tests,” according to Breitbart News. Reports indicate that Francis’ doctors have advised him to observe “total rest” in order to recover from his illnesses.
Several of the Pope’s scheduled events have since been canceled, including his Jubilee Year events and his general audiences.
CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb reported that, when he saw Francis on February 14 just before his hospitalization, the Pope appeared mentally alert but was struggling to speak for extended periods because of his breathing difficulties.
This is far from Francis’ first health scare, as the elderly Pope has experienced regular health issues over the past few years, most of which were related to respiratory problems — as he has reportedly suffered from lung-related issues for a significant portion of his life, even having to get one of his lungs removed when he was a young man after a severe case of pneumonia.
In 2023, Francis experienced a bronchitis-related health scare similar to the one he is currently suffering from. At the time, he was forced to spend three nights in a hospital after being rushed there via ambulance, as he had complained of difficulty breathing and chest pains. As he left the hospital, one reporter asked how he was doing, to which the Pope responded: “I’m still alive.”
The Pope also had intestinal surgery for diverticular stenosis in July 2021, causing him to have 13 inches of his colon removed.
