Pope Francis has bronchitis but is responding well to treatment, though he won’t be celebrating certain Holy Week rituals

After being hospitalized for “several days” at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for a “Respiratory infection”He Pope Francis is ‘better’ and ‘back to work’The Vatican announced this on Thursday.

“His Holiness Pope Francis slept well last night. The clinical picture gradually improves and the planned treatments continue. This morning, after breakfast, he read some newspapers and went back to work,” said the statement, sent by Pope’s spokesman Matteo Bruni.

According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, after leaving the hospital, Francisco rested, read some newspapers and went back to work. “Before lunch he went to the small chapel of his private apartment, where he gathered in prayer and received the Eucharist.” On the other hand, No official information has been leaked about the days of the pope’s hospitalization.

On the afternoon of March 29, the Vatican explained that “in recent days, Pope Francis complained of breathing difficulties and went to the A. Gemelli Polyclinic for medical check-ups”. The medical checks “revealed a respiratory infection (excluding covid 19), which will require adequate medical treatment in hospital for several days,” the pope’s spokesman, Matteo Bruni, said in the note.

Pope immediately after the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, he is said to have experienced pain in his chest, when he was already in his home in Casa Santa Marta. At that time, out of caution, his personal nurse, Massimiliano Strapppetti, advised him to go to the cardiology department for an assessment, the Italian media reported.

According to the Argentine newspaper La Nación, Francisco went to Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic Hospital at least twice in the past three weeks for checkups, but incognito, in his car, the discreet blue Ford Focus.

The health of the popes has always been a “reserved matter” for the Vatican and is generally kept secret. Last July, Francisco confessed that he “couldn’t travel again” at the same pace as before and even said he could “step sideways”, this has been shown with the use of a cane and later a wheelchair. Since 2022, Francisco has a “personal health assistant”, a nurse, who assists him on a permanent basis.

Pope Francis has lived with only one lung for more than 65 years

The Pope’s presence is expected in the Vatican during Holy Week

“I will be celebrating Easter Mass, but that is expected Pope Francis is present in St. Peter’s Basilicasaid Cardinal Giovanni Battista, Dean of the College of Cardinals. On Easter Sunday, the pope is expected to deliver the Urbi et Orbi message from the basilica’s loggia.

On the other hand, it will be the Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, who will replace Pope Francis at the Palm Mass this Sunday.

Italian media had already noticed this the Pope will not preside over some Holy Week rituals.

“I signed my resignation for medical reasons”

In an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC, Francis revealed that at the start of his pontificate (2013), he had given then-Secretary of State Bertone a letter announcing his resignation. in case of serious and permanent health restrictions.

“I have already signed my resignation. It was Tarcisio Bertone, the Secretary of State. I signed it and told him: In case of being unable to attend for medical reasons or whatever I know, here is my resignation. They already have it. I don’t know who Cardinal Bertone gave it to, but I gave it to him when I was secretary of state,” the pope said.