Pope Francis is allegedly in high spirits while he battles a rather severe respiratory infection that required the 88-year-old to be hospitalized last week. He is set to remain in the hospital while undergoing a change in his treatment for his illness.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church was first sent to Agostino Gemelli Hospital in Rome last Friday, resulting in several meetings being canceled. An update on Monday the Holy See Press Office revealed that the testing the hospital has conducted are indicative of a complex clinical picture that will require appropriate hospitalization.”
“The results of the medical tests carried out over the past few days and today have shown a polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract, which has led to a further change in therapy,” the Holy See said.
Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni spoke with journalists on Monday where he said, that the pope is “in good spirits.” Despite being badly ill, Francis is continuing to keep communications going with Argentine-born Father Gabriel Romanelli of the Holy Family Parish located in Gaza.
“We heard his voice. It is true; he is more tired. He himself said, ‘I have to take care of myself.’ But you could hear the clear voice; he listened to us well,” Romanelli said. “[On Sunday,] Pope Francis sent a written message to my cell phone. … We hope that the recovery will happen soon and that he can return to St. Peter’s to continue his mission and work.”
“After completing his scheduled meetings last Friday, Francis was admitted to a local hospital to deal with what was reported as being a bout with bronchitis that had been occurring for the past several days to a couple of weeks,” The Christian Post reported.
“As a result of the hospitalization, the pontiff canceled a Saturday jubilee general audience and an audience at an artists’ studio. A mass he was supposed to officiate was instead presided over by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça,” the article said.
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In 2023, Pope Francis was hospitalized at the same facility for several days in response to respiratory difficulties.
“The outcome of these [tests] showed a respiratory infection (excluding Covid-19 infection) that will require a few days of appropriate hospital medical therapy,” Bruni stated in 2023.
Among many of his notable milestones is that Francis is the first Latin-American pope, the first Jesuit to hold the office, and was, in 2015, the first pope to address a joint session of Congress here in the U.S.