Ajit Karn
Vatican City: The Vatican announced on Thursday that Pope Francis’s health is improving after spending a night in the hospital with a respiratory infection; the 86-year-old had consumed breakfast, read the newspaper, and even worked.
Matteo Bruni, the pope’s secretary, said in a statement that the pontiff “rested well throughout the night” and that his clinical condition is progressively improving.
“This morning, after breakfast, he read a few newspapers and resumed his work. Prior to lunch, he went to the private apartment’s chapel, where he prayed and received Holy Communion.”
Wednesday, Pope Francis was committed to the Gemelli hospital in Rome for what the Vatican described as pre-planned examinations.
It was later revealed that he had complained of breathing difficulties and was diagnosed with a respiratory infection, but not Covid; he was hospitalized for “a few days.”
The Argentine pontiff, who observed 10 years as head of the Catholic Church earlier this month, has endured numerous health concerns throughout his life, including the removal of a portion of one of his lungs at age 21.
While maintaining a busy schedule and traveling extensively, he has used a wheelchair for the past year due to knee discomfort, and confessed he had to slow down last summer.
Particularly after unconfirmed reports that he had arrived in an ambulance, his hospitalization prompted widespread concern.
Pope Francis was forced to cancel Thursday’s engagements, and his presence at imminent Holy Week and Easter services, the two most significant events on the Christian calendar, is now uncertain.
The Vatican has already begun preparations for this weekend’s Palm Sunday festivities.
Constantly the dread
At his weekly audience on Wednesday morning, just hours before his hospitalization, the pontiff appeared in good spirits as he welcomed the faithful from his “popemobile” and smiled.
On Thursday, a photograph of him grimacing as he was helped onto the vehicle appeared on the front pages of all the main Italian dailies.
Many of the estimated 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide, including U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, resorted to prayer upon hearing the news of the pope’s hospitalization.
President Biden, the second Catholic president in U.S. history, exhorted guests at a White House reception to “pray extra” for the pope.
Thursday Vatican visitors were also concerned about Pope Francis’ health.
Tina Montalbano, a 60-year-old tour guide, said, “There is always fear, but it appears that everything is calm for the time being.”
I pray he recovers quickly and is able to celebrate Easter at St. Peter’s.
In July 2021, Pope Francis was committed to the same Rome hospital for 10 days for a colon operation after suffering from a type of diverticulitis, an inflammation of the lining of the intestine.
In a January interview, the pontiff revealed that his diverticulitis had returned.
Francis had a portion of one of his lungs removed in 1957 at the age of 21, but he claims he made a full recovery.
Resignation speculation
Following the example of his predecessor Benedict XVI, Pope Francis has stated on multiple occasions that he would contemplate resigning if his health required it.
The German theologian, who passed away on December 31, 2013, stunned the world by becoming the first pontiff to resign since the Middle Ages.
Francis has cautioned, however, that papal resignations should not be the norm, and he stated in a February interview that the concept is not presently “on my agenda.”
Pope Francis, a Jesuit who appears happiest when he is with his congregation, continues to travel internationally despite his health problems and advancing age.
He visited South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo earlier this year, attracting massive throngs.
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He is scheduled to visit Hungary and meet with Prime Minister Viktor Orban next month.
In the past decade, Pope Francis has endeavored to create an image of a more accessible and compassionate Church, despite facing opposition from within the Church, particularly from conservatives.
