New reports concerning the health of Pope Francis have revealed the pontiff is not feeling very optimistic about his chances of recovery after medical doctors officially diagnosed him with pneumonia in both lungs.
Several days after being hospitalized with a devastating case of bronchitis, the 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church was diagnosed with pneumonia in both of his lungs. Regardless of how you feel about some of the statements he’s made during his tenure as the pontiff, we should be praying for his recovery.
The Vatican stated on Monday that Pope Francis was diagnosed with a “polymicrobial infection,” which led to a rather “complex clinical picture.” A report revealed that after years of experiencing his health fade, the pope was in extreme pain from his illness and in private expressed that he was certain he wasn’t going to make it this time around.
There were no sources named in the Politico article that printed the pope’s alleged statement.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS:
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis’ condition has worsened, now diagnosed with a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection. Recent tests reveal a complex clinical picture, requiring an extended hospital stay for the 88-year-old Pontiff in Rome.… pic.twitter.com/xXiS92wBeG
— Patrick Coffin (@CoffinMedia) February 17, 2025
“The pope was brought to the hospital Friday after resisting being admitted. Politico cited a source it did not name as saying Francis was told he could die if he did not go to a hospital,” The Western Journal reported.
“The report noted that even if Francis survives this scare, the concept of who follows his papacy is moving to the fore,” it added.
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“He may not die now, but of course, he eventually will,” Politico quoted a Vatican official as stating. “We all die — and he’s an 88-year-old man with lung problems.”
“The pope’s polymicrobial infection grew out of asthmatic bronchitis and bronchiectasis, which takes place when airways widen, creating a mucus buildup that leaves the lungs more likely to become infected, according to The Washington Post,” the Western Journal said.
Pope Francis is currently being treated with antibiotic cortisone therapy, according to the Vatican. This isn’t the first time the pope has been hospitalized for serious health issues.
In 2021, he was put in the hospital to have a total of 13 inches of his colon removed, a rather serious procedure, especially for a man in his 80s. Then, two years later, he was once again hospitalized for pneumonia. A few months later in June, he had abdominal surgery.
Top that off with a number of falls that took place in December and January and clearly he’s reaching a point where, if he survives his current ordeal, he might want to consider stepping down from the papacy.
In the days leading up to his hospitalization, Francis had been working to find ways for the changes he made within the Roman Catholic Church to continue on after he dies. In other words, he’s trying to establish his legacy. The changes he made aren’t all that great, so let’s just pray he doesn’t secure those measures in place.