Pope Francis at Gemelli, the clinical picture “improves”. Sandri will celebrate the Mass of the Palms, for Easter in Campo Re – Cronaca

The overall clinical picture of Pope Francis gradually improves, as he continues his therapies at the Gemelli Polyclinic after being hospitalized yesterday afternoon following an illness due to a “respiratory infection”, which turned out to be “infectious bronchitis”. Today’s situation was first described shortly after noon by the director of the Vatican press office, Matteo Bruni, explaining that “His Holiness Pope Francis rested well during the night. The clinical picture is gradually improving and the scheduled treatments are continuing”.

“This morning after having breakfast, he read some newspapers and resumed work – added the spokesman of the Holy See – Before lunch he went to the little chapel of his private apartment, where he gathered in prayer and received the eucharist”. Then in the evening again Bruni communicated that “Pope Francis spent the afternoon dedicating himself to rest, prayer and some work duties”. While the medical staff following the Pontiff let it be known that “in the context of clinical checks scheduled for the Holy Father, an infectious bronchitis was found which required the administration of antibiotic therapy on an infusion basis which produced the expected effects with a marked improvement in his state of health. On the basis of the foreseeable outcome, the Holy Father could be resigned in the next few days”.

Already early in the morning it was learned, from sources close to the tenth floor of the university hospital, where the Pope spends his hospitalization in the special apartment of the Popes, that Francis had spent a quiet night, “as smooth as oil”, and that c ‘the staff of doctors and nurses was optimistic about his speedy return to the Vatican, “barring unforeseen circumstances”. The tests obviously continued and ruled out both heart problems and pneumonia. In essence, the respiratory infection from which the Pontiff suffers is “mild”; a “bronchitis” that did not produce effusions, as could be verified with a CT scan of the heart and lungs. Which, according to hospital sources, would have been caused by a virus.

However, it is not yet known with certainty how many days of hospitalization the Pope will have to do at the Gemelli, also because the 86-year-old has gained weight and this does not help in dealing with the infection. Nor is the fact overlooked that Bergoglio at the age of 21, when he was a seminarian in Argentina, underwent a resection following a serious form of pneumonia: the upper lobe of his right lung was removed due to three cysts. At that time lung diseases such as fungal infections or pneumonia were treated surgically due to the scarcity of antibiotics. Even in the current case “the early use of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories is the best guarantee of a speedy recovery”, medical sources still point out.

The hospitalization allows, in a condition of prudence, to subject the Pontiff to intravenous therapy, while oxygen monitoring and blood chemistry tests continue.

Meanwhile in the Vatican the plan for the rites of Holy Week has been ready since last Monday, starting with the Mass on Palm Sunday which will be celebrated by the vice dean of the College of Cardinals, card. Leonardo Sandri. Those of Holy Thursday, the morning “chrism” by the cardinal vicar of Rome Angelo De Donatis and the afternoon “in Coena Domini” by the archpriest of San Pietro card. Mauro Gambetti.

Finally, that of Easter Sunday, by the cardinal dean Giovanni Battista Re. It certainly cannot be excluded that, even if the Pope is soon dismissed from Gemelli, the doctors advise him to rest at Casa Santa Marta.

In the meantime, Bergoglio receives certificates of closeness and wishes for a speedy recovery from all over the world, from institutional and ecclesiastical authorities, associations and simple faithful. Among others, those of President Sergio Mattarella, American President Joe Biden, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Speaker of the Chamber Lorenzo Fontana, Ministers Antonio Tajani and Elisabetta Casellati. So much so that the Pope, in a tweet, said he was “touched by the many messages received in these hours”, expressing “to all” his “gratitude for your closeness and prayer”.