Pope Francis, who was admitted to the hospital four days ago for bronchitis, will remain under medical care longer than expected due to a more complicated health condition, the Vatican announced on Monday.
In a statement, the Vatican said tests revealed a “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract,” leading to a change in treatment.
“All the tests carried out until now show a complex clinical picture that will require adequate hospitalisation,” the statement added.
Due to his condition, the pope’s weekly Wednesday audience has been cancelled, following the earlier suspension of his public events through Monday.
Despite concerns over his health, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni assured reporters that the 88-year-old pope was in “good humour,” had rested well, and even read newspapers after breakfast.
A Vatican source also told AFP that while the pope was receiving oxygen, there was “no alarmism” over his condition.
Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Friday after experiencing difficulty breathing. Reports suggest that his health had deteriorated after “a very busy” two weeks.
This latest illness raises fresh worries about Pope Francis, who has faced several health challenges in recent years.
As a young man, he had part of one lung removed, making him vulnerable to respiratory infections.
In 2023, he spent three nights in the hospital due to bronchitis, which was treated with antibiotics. A similar illness in December 2023 forced him to cancel a planned trip to Dubai for the COP28 climate conference.
In addition, the pope underwent a hernia operation in June 2023 and intestinal surgery in 2021. Since 2022, he has been using a wheelchair due to knee pain and occasionally walks with a cane.
He has also suffered falls in recent months, bruising his forearm in January and injuring his face in December after falling from his bed.
Despite his health struggles, Pope Francis has remained active. In September 2024, he completed his longest overseas tour, visiting four Asia-Pacific nations.
Even from the hospital, he continues to engage with the public. On Sunday, he watched mass on television and sent a written address for the Angelus prayer.
“I would have liked to be among you but, as you know, I am here at the Gemelli Hospital because I still need some treatment for my bronchitis,” he wrote.
Though he has left open the possibility of resigning if he becomes too weak to carry out his duties, he stated in a memoir last year that he does “not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning.”
For now, his focus remains on recovery as he continues his medical treatment.
