Pope Francis delivers his blessing as he recites the Angelus midday prayer from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Sq., on the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
Andrew Medichini/AP
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Andrew Medichini/AP
ROME, Italy—Pope Francis has skilled recent respiration difficulties as he enters a 3rd week of therapy in a Rome hospital, in line with the Vatican press workplace in a press release issued Friday night.
Earlier Friday afternoon he skilled what the Vatican referred to as an “remoted bronchospasm disaster,” which was adopted by “an episode of vomiting with inhalation and a sudden worsening of the respiratory situation.”
Friday morning the Vatican stated he’d hung out doing breathing-focused physiotherapy and praying in a hospital chapel earlier than the “bronchospasm” – a technical time period for the tightening of a windpipe that may make respiration really feel troublesome.
His medical workforce reacted by inserting Francis on a ventilator with a masks, and stated that primarily based on measurements of oxygen in his blood he had responded effectively to that therapy. “The Pope remained alert and oriented always,” the Vatican press workplace assertion stated, “collaborating within the therapeutic maneuvers.”
In current days, medical doctors stated the pontiff appeared to be stabilizing after a number of successive nights by which they stated he slept restfully. However following Friday afternoon, the Vatican stated his prognosis “stays reserved.”

Nuns pray for Pope Francis in entrance of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, the place Pope Francis is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.
Andrew Medichini/AP
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Andrew Medichini/AP
The Gemelli hospital in Rome has now housed him for nearly two weeks, and medical doctors have continued to warn that his medical condition remains critical, in twice-daily updates have drawn the close attention of devout Catholics worldwide.Earlier within the week, his medical workforce shared that he underwent a CT scan to look at the extent of the pneumonia in his two lungs, however whilst an in-patient Francis has continued to hold out a few of his work.
Francis, 88, has remained absent from a number of common appearances on the Vatican, and officers Friday stated he wouldn’t be collaborating in Ash Wednesday celebrations subsequent week. The church has inspired worshippers throughout Rome and world wide to wish for his well being, together with at nightly vigils held near St. Peter’s — a customized the Catholic Church has lengthy practiced throughout earlier papal diseases.
Francis was first admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 for a case of bronchitis, and was initially in steady situation till suffering a polymicrobial infection that compelled him to stay for additional therapy. Shortly after that, the Vatican introduced Francis had developed pneumonia in both of his lungs, and consequently required additional in-patient therapy.
Final Saturday, alongside what the Vatican referred to as his “asthma-like respiratory disaster”, the pope was additionally recognized with thrombocytopenia, a situation characterised by a low rely of the platelets in blood that assist to type clots. He was given blood transfusions to assist “convey up his hemoglobin ranges,” the Vatican later stated in a Monday morning statement.