Topline
Pope Francis was hospitalized in Rome on Wednesday, and he will remain in care for several days to treat a pulmonary infection that caused him to have difficulty breathing, according to a statement put out by the Vatican.
Pope Francis waves from the popemobile car as he leaves St. Peter’s square on March 29, 2023 in The … [+]
Key Facts
Holy See Press Office director Matteo Bruni initially said the 86-year-old pope “went to Gemelli [Hospital] for some previously scheduled check-ups” after holding his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square.
In a second update, the Vatican said Pope Francis had difficulty breathing in recent days.
Results showed Francis has a respiratory infection “that will require some days of medical therapy,” Bruni said, according to the AP.
Francis does not have Covid-19.
Francis was taken to Gemelli by ambulance and underwent a chest CT scan, among other tests, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Forbes has reached out to the Vatican for comment.
Tangent
The pope’s hospitalization comes on the heels of Holy Week and Easter—when Catholics celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—which begins Sunday.
Key Background
Francis suffers from diverticulitis, a condition that can cause inflammation to the colon. In 2021 he had part of the organ removed. He also suffers knee issues, and sometimes appears in public with a cane or in a wheelchair. In his youth, Francis suffered from pneumonia and had part of one of his lungs removed because of the infection, according to the New York Times. A native of Argentina, Francis has served as pope since 2013, after Pope Benedict XVI made the unprecedented decision to step down. Benedict died in December and Pope Francis presided over his funeral—the first time in history a sitting pope led the death services of a previous pontiff. Last summer, rumors spread that Francis was also planning to step down because of his health, though the pope dismissed them as “court gossip.”
Further Reading
Pope Francis Said Homosexuality Isn’t A Crime—Here’s What Else He’s Said About LGBTQ Issues (Forbes)
Pope Benedict’s Funeral: Pope Francis Leads Historic Procession (Photos) (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/03/29/pope-francis-hospitalized-in-rome/