Pope admitted to hospital for tests and treatment due to ongoing bronchitis

Pope Francis has been admitted today to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for tests and treatment related to his ongoing bronchitis.

In a 14 February statement, the Vatican announced that “at the end of his audiences, Pope Francis admitted himself to the Agostino Gemelli Hospital for some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue his ongoing treatment for bronchitis in a hospital environment”.

No further information was provided on the nature and duration of his stay.

The Pope has been suffering from what has been described by the Vatican as bronchitis for nearly two weeks, forcing him to hold his private meetings and audiences at his private Vatican residence.

The Vatican did not immediately clarify how long the Pope would be admitted, or whether he would hold his scheduled Saturday jubilee general audience as usual.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told journalists that it was likely the Pope would stay “for a few days”, but did not give clarity on how many, or how the Pope’s schedule would be effected in the coming days.

Respiratory issues are not new for the 88-year-old pontiff, who had part of one lung removed as a young Jesuit after a serious bout of bronchitis and who for the past two years has increasingly struggled with respiratory infections and difficulties.

He was last hospitalised in March 2023 for bronchitis, which he described as a “close call” upon being discharged.

Since his election in 2013, the pope has been hospitalised three times, once in 2021 and twice in 2023 for bronchitis and for abdominal surgery to repair an intestinal hernia related to a previous surgery.

Pope Francis developed a cold earlier this month, telling attendees of a 5 February general audience that he was suffering from a “strong cold” that the Vatican later described as bronchitis, and which forced him to hold his private audiences inside his residence that weekend, rather than at the Apostolic Palace, where he traditionally meets heads of state and other groups and individuals.

Though he was able to preside over an outdoor Mass for the Jubilee of Armed Forces on Sunday, 9 February, and to read his homily himself, the Pope in his general audience on the following Wednesday, 12 February, said he was still suffering from bronchitis and, because of that, could not read his prepared remarks, asking an aide to do so instead.

He voiced hope that “next time I can”, and was able to speak briefly at various points during the event, including offering a prayer for global peace.

Francis recently has also suffered two falls at his Vatican, once in December 2024 resulting in a bruised chin, and once this January, which caused an injury to his arm, requiring it to be placed in a sling for several days.

RELATED: Pope in arm sling after a fall

While in generally good health otherwise, especially considering his age, the Pope has increasingly suffered from influenza, bronchitis and other respiratory issues over the past two years. This included his 2023 hospitalisation for bronchitis, as well as his cancellation of a planned visit to Dubai later that year, also due to bronchitis.

Due to knee troubles that have bothered him for nearly three years, he is also often confined to the use of a cane or a wheelchair due to limited mobility.

Later in the day, an update on the Pope’s condition following his hospitalisation was released by the Vatican, with his condition described as “discrete”, which reportedly means that while it is a concern, it is not serious.

Photo: Pope Francis drinks a glass of water during the weekly general audience at Paul-VI hall in the Vatican, 12 February 2025. (Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images.)

The post Pope admitted to hospital for tests and treatment due to ongoing bronchitis first appeared on Catholic Herald.

The post Pope admitted to hospital for tests and treatment due to ongoing bronchitis appeared first on Catholic Herald.