Pope Francis hospitalized for bronchitis and medical checks

According to the Vatican, Pope Francis has been admitted to a hospital in Rome for examinations and treatment for persistent bronchitis.

The 88-year-old was admitted after his morning audiences, according to the statement. He has been experiencing dyspnea since receiving a diagnosis last Thursday and has assigned officials to read his speeches.

Pope Francis was admitted to the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli this morning at the conclusion of his audiences in order to undergo some necessary diagnostic testing and to continue his ongoing bronchitis treatment in a hospital setting, according to a statement.

The Pope has long struggled with health issues, particularly prolonged episodes of acute bronchitis during the winter, after having a portion of one lung removed when he was a young man.

Earlier this month, Francis told pilgrims at a weekly audience that he was suffering from a ‘strong cold,’ which the Vatican later described as bronchitis.

Ever since his diagnosis, Francis has appeared bloated, an indication the medication he was taking to treat the lung infection was making him retain water. 

He has been admitted to the hospital on a number of occasions in recent years, undergoing surgery in 2021 to address a painful condition called diverticulitis and again in 2023 to repair a hernia

Last month the pontiff injured his right arm in a fall at his Santa Marta home, the Holy See said, adding that he did not suffer any fractures. 

Despite his age and health woes, Francis has remained very active in recent months, completing in September a four-nation trip, the longest of his papacy in terms of duration and distance. 

‘I am well,’ Pope Francis said in January. ‘The Church is governed using the head and the heart, not the legs.’

He said it was ’embarrassing at first to have to use a wheelchair, but old age never arrives by itself, and it must be accepted for what it is.’