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ROME — Pope Francis has had breathing difficulties in recent days and is seeking treatment for a respiratory infection at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, the Vatican said in a statement.
He does not have Covid-19 and expects to spend “a few days” in hospital, according to the statement. His schedule through the end of the week has been erased.
Francis, 86, is undergoing a physical and is “moved” by messages of support and prayers he has received, the Vatican said.
As Francis celebrates a decade as pope, what does it mean to be 86?
The previous Wednesday, Francis delivered his weekly general audience address in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
The announcement of Francis’ treatment comes less than two weeks before Easter Sunday, a busy time of important ceremonies and commitments for the pope.
The 10th anniversary of his pontificate was earlier this month. In the last 500 years, only three other popes have lived to the age of 86 in this position.
The Pope appeared frail at times. He started using a wheelchair last year after suffering persistent knee pain. Last July, after a trip to Canada, Francis indicated that he needed to slow down.
“I think at my age and with this limitation I have to save [my energies up] to be able to serve the Church a little or, on the contrary, to think about the possibility of stepping aside. I say that with all honesty,” he said. “It’s not a disaster. It is possible to change the Pope.”
But in the months since, Francis has continued to fulfill papal duties, including a six-day trip last month to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, where he enjoyed the extraordinary energy of a vast crowd of admirers.
This story is evolving and will continue to be updated.