Health Scare: Pope Francis Hospitalized for Bronchitis, Medical Testing

The Vatican confirmed Friday that Pope Francis was hospitalized for bronchitis treatment and to undergo diagnostic tests. This is the latest health issue facing the 88-year-old pontiff.

Francis was diagnosed last Thursday with bronchitis but has continued to give daily audiences from his Vatican hotel room, attend his general audience on Wednesday, and preside over an outdoor Mass on Sunday. He did, however, give his speeches to an aide who read them aloud because he had trouble breathing.

Francis has had to deal with health issues for a long time, including long bouts of acute pneumonia in the winter. He moves around his apartment with a cane, wheelchair, or walker. Recently, he fell twice and injured his arm and chin.

Francis’ bloating has been evident ever since his diagnosis. This is an indication that the medications he was taking for the lung infection were causing him to retain water. Francis is currently hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he last was hospitalized in 2023 for surgery to remove intestinal tissue scar tissue and repair an abdominal hernia. He spent three days at the hospital a few months earlier to receive intravenous antibacterials for a respiratory illness.

A Vatican statement said Francis would be admitted at the end of his Friday audiences. In addition to regular Vatican officials, the pope met Friday morning with the Slovak prime minister, Robert Fico, and the head of CNN, Mark Thompson.

The statement stated, “This morning, after the audiences, Pope Francis will be admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic to undergo some diagnostic tests, and to continue the ongoing treatment of bronchitis in a hospital environment.”

The Vatican did not provide any details about the length of Francis’ hospitalization, or his planned events. The Holy Year is a busy time for Francis, with a special event honoring artists on his weekend schedule. The weekend agenda includes an audience with artists on Saturday, a Mass on Sunday, and a visit to Rome’s Cinecitta Studios on Monday.

The Vatican’s announcement of Francis’ hospitalization was in stark contrast with the hospitalization that occurred for bronchitis in 2023, which caused the Pope to have confusion.

The Vatican initially said that he was there for scheduled tests. However, he later admitted to feeling pain in his chest. He was then rushed to hospital, where bronchitis had been diagnosed. He was given intravenous antibiotics, and released on April 1. As he left the hospital, he joked that he “was still alive.” Francis spent ten days in the same hospital after undergoing intestinal surgery to treat a narrowing of the bowel.