Pope Francis in Rome on Wednesday
Because of a ‘respiratory infection’, Pope Francis had to spend the night in hospital in Rome. All appointments of the 86-year-old head of the Catholic Church for Thursday have been cancelled.
Because of a “respiratory infection”, Pope Francis had to spend the night in a hospital in Rome. All appointments of the head of the Catholic Church for Thursday have been canceled, as the Vatican announced. The pope will have to stay in the hospital for “a few days,” it said, after initially there was only talk of a planned investigation.
During examinations at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the infection was found in the 86-year-old, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni announced on Wednesday evening. The pope was therefore tested negative for the corona virus.
It was initially unclear whether the pope would be able to celebrate the Palm Sunday mass taking place next weekend and the celebrations planned for Holy Week and Easter. In the coming month he is to visit Hungary and meet there with Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
The Pope was hospitalized on Wednesday after complaining of breathing problems, the Vatican spokesman said. The infection that has now been identified requires “a few days of appropriate medical treatment in the hospital”. The Vatican had previously said that the pontiff had been taken to the hospital for “planned” examinations. A few dozen journalists camped in front of the clinic on Thursday night.
During his weekly audience on Wednesday morning, the head of the Catholic Church was still in a good mood and smiled at the believers from his “Papamobile”. However, as his staff helped him get into the vehicle, he could be seen grimacing in pain. Italian media then reported that Francis was taken to the clinic in an ambulance.
The Pope has been suffering from health problems for a long time. In July 2021, the Pope had an operation on his intestines at the Gemelli Hospital. Francis has also been struggling with knee pain for a long time. The 86-year-old has been using a cane or a wheelchair for months.
The physical ailments of the pope had fueled speculation that the head of the church might resign. At the end of July last year, he publicly considered the possibility of resigning should he lose his strength. In February of this year, however, Pope Francis declared that resigning was “not on my plan at the moment”.
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