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The 86-year-old Argentine Jesuit is suffering from a respiratory infection and will remain in hospital for “a few days”. In the past few days, he had complained of “some breathing difficulties,” the Vatican press release said.
Pope Francis had “a good night”. The Argentine Jesuit, who has been hospitalized in Rome for “a few days” since Wednesday, March 29, is being treated for a respiratory infection, a new warning for the head of the Catholic Church, who is suffering from recurring health problems.
While the Holy See announced the hospitalization of Francis on Wednesday afternoon, citing “planned examinations”, the Vatican spokesman said last night that he was suffering from a “respiratory infection”. “In the last few days, Pope Francis has had breathing difficulties and was admitted this afternoon to the Polyclinic A. Gemelli for a medical examination,” said Matteo Bruni.
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These tests “revealed a respiratory infection” unrelated to Covid-19, and the Pope will have to undergo treatment in hospital “for a few days,” he stressed. The Vatican did not say whether the pope would be able to lead the Palm Sunday Mass at the Vatican or the celebrations planned for Holy Week and Easter.
In a press release, the Italian bishops’ conference expressed its prayers for the pope and wished him “a speedy recovery”. According to our information, no panic was observed at the Sainte-Marthe residence where he lives, according to a source close to the Holy Father.
Speculations about a resignation
The 86-year-old Argentine Jesuit, who celebrated his tenth pontificate in mid-March, attended the weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, as he does every Wednesday morning, where he appeared smiling and greeted the faithful on board his “popamobile”. François, who has been in a wheelchair since May 2022 because of chronic knee pain, had already been hospitalized for ten days in July 2021 for major colon surgery at Gemelli Hospital.
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Jorge Bergoglio explained that he had “after effects” from the anesthesia suffered during this procedure, leading him to rule out the possibility of knee surgery until now. His knee pain, which notably prompted him to cancel several dates in 2022 and postpone a trip to Africa, is at the center of speculation about a possible retirement.
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He always left the door open to this scenario, like his predecessor Benedict XVI who had resigned and surprised the whole world. In July, François had confided that he could no longer “travel” at the same pace as before, even mentioning the possibility of “putting himself aside”. But in February he said that forgoing a pope “should not become a trend” and assured that the prospect was “not on his agenda for the time being”.
Caregivers follow him constantly
Caregivers follow him constantly, both at the Vatican and during his trips abroad, but his recent health problems have led him to officially create a new role, that of “personal health assistant”, for which he has appointed a nurse from Gemelli. At the age of 21, according to his biographer Austen Ivereigh, Francis nearly died of pleurisy and in October 1957 part of one of his lungs had to be removed.
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In a recently published book, he recalled that episode: “I understand how it can feel for people with coronavirus who are struggling to breathe through artificial respirators.” In an interview with renowned Argentine journalist and doctor Nelson Castro, he also spoke about having surgery to remove cysts from his right lung, noting that he has “fully recovered” and has “never felt restricted since.”
When he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he was treated by a Chinese acupuncturist for back pain, his biographer wrote in columns for The Tablet Catholic, also in May. He also suffered from “gallstones” and, according to his biographer in 2004, had a “temporary” heart problem due to a mild narrowing of the arteries. In addition, her liver problems were resolved thanks to a change in diet.