Pope Francis has arrived at a hospital for treatment of lingering bronchitis, the Holy See’s press office said on Friday.
The pontiff will undergo a series of diagnostic tests and continue treatment for bronchitis. The 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church has been complaining of malaise for nearly three weeks. He did not preach himself at the last general audiences, which he personally attended, and also held audiences “at home,” transferring from the “working” Apostolic Palace to the hotel St. Martha’s on the Vatican territory, which is his personal residence. Francis has complained of breathing difficulties in recent days. However, no events from his schedule have been cancelled.
The pontiff has suffered from bronchitis every winter for the past two years. Because of this, he even missed the Stations of the Cross before Easter without attending in person, as it required being outside for long periods of time.
As a young boy, Francis had a slight truncated lung due to pneumonia, but this had no effect on his health, which was quite good, including when he was elected to the throne of St Peter’s in 2013, when he was 77. A few years ago his knee joints became very painful, he virtually stopped walking and for the past two years has been travelling mostly in a wheelchair. He has had two bowel operations since 2021.
In January, Pope Francis was reported to have injured his right forearm in a fall. There was no fracture, but the arm was immobilised as a precaution. It was also reported last December that the pontiff suffered a chin injury after hitting a nightstand.
