Pope Francis delivers his blessing as he recites the Angelus midday prayer from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Sq., on the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
Andrew Medichini/AP
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Andrew Medichini/AP
ROME, Italy—Pope Francis has skilled contemporary respiration difficulties as he enters a 3rd week of remedy in a Rome hospital, in accordance with the Vatican press workplace in a press release issued Friday night.
Earlier Friday afternoon he skilled what the Vatican referred to as an “isolated bronchospasm crisis,” which was adopted by “an episode of vomiting with inhalation and a sudden worsening of the respiratory condition.”
Friday morning the Vatican mentioned he’d frolicked doing breathing-focused physiotherapy and praying in a hospital chapel earlier than the “bronchospasm” – a technical time period for the tightening of a windpipe that may make respiration really feel tough.
His medical group reacted by inserting Francis on a ventilator with a masks, and mentioned that primarily based on measurements of oxygen in his blood he had responded effectively to that remedy. “The Pope remained alert and oriented at all times,” the Vatican press workplace assertion mentioned, “collaborating in the therapeutic maneuvers.”
In latest days, docs mentioned the pontiff gave the impression to be stabilizing after a number of successive nights by which they mentioned he slept restfully. However following Friday afternoon, the Vatican mentioned his prognosis “remains reserved.”
Nuns pray for Pope Francis in entrance of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, the place Pope Francis is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.
Andrew Medichini/AP
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Andrew Medichini/AP
The Gemelli hospital in Rome has now housed him for nearly two weeks, and docs have continued to warn that his medical situation stays important, in twice-daily updates have drawn the shut consideration of religious Catholics worldwide.Earlier within the week, his medical group shared that he underwent a CT scan to look at the extent of the pneumonia in his two lungs, however at the same time as an in-patient Francis has continued to hold out a few of his work.
Francis, 88, has remained absent from a number of common appearances on the Vatican, and officers Friday mentioned he wouldn’t be collaborating in Ash Wednesday celebrations subsequent week. The church has inspired worshippers throughout Rome and around the globe to wish for his well being, together with at nightly vigils held near St. Peter’s — a customized the Catholic Church has lengthy practiced throughout earlier papal sicknesses.
Francis was first admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 for a case of bronchitis, and was initially in secure situation till struggling a polymicrobial an infection that pressured him to stay for additional remedy. Shortly after that, the Vatican introduced Francis had developed pneumonia in each of his lungs, and consequently required additional in-patient remedy.
Final Saturday, alongside what the Vatican referred to as his “asthma-like respiratory crisis”, the pope was additionally recognized with thrombocytopenia, a situation characterised by a low depend of the platelets in blood that assist to type clots. He was given blood transfusions to assist “bring up his hemoglobin levels,” the Vatican later mentioned in a Monday morning assertion.
