Pope Francis Health: Vatican Issues Sunday Morning Update
March 2, 2025
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Pope Francis had a “peaceful night” on Saturday, after recovering from a coughing fit.
The news came in a Holy See press office update issued on the 88-year-old’s condition Sunday morning.
The Context
The head of the Catholic church has been hospitalized since February 14, after doctors identified a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection that developed into pneumonia.
Francis has long struggled with respiratory issues, and had part of his lungs removed when he was a young adult and contracted pleurisy.
What To Know
The Pope “is still resting following a peaceful night,” the Holy See press office said on Sunday morning.
The night before, it had said that Francis’ medical condition “remained stable with respiratory physiotherapy alternating between noninvasive mechanical ventilation and long periods of supplemental high-flow oxygenation with a good response to gas exchange.”
As of Saturday night, the Pope did not have a fever or show signs of leukocytosis (high white blood cell count).
Francis’ health had taken a turn for the worse on Friday, due to a bronchial spasm that caused him to inhale vomit, requiring noninvasive mechanical ventilation.
After this procedure, gas exchange values were said to have returned to levels similar to those before the episode but it could take up to 48 hours to be able to assess the pope’s clinical condition, The Associated Press reported.
Dr. John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, told the AP that the episode on Friday was alarming and showed Francis’ fragility and that his condition “can turn very quickly.”
But, on Saturday, the Holy See press office said that Francis was “alert, oriented and in good humor.”
Pope Francis makes his way down Fifth Avenue toward St. Patrick’s Cathedral September 24, 2015 in New York City. Pope Francis makes his way down Fifth Avenue toward St. Patrick’s Cathedral September 24, 2015 in New York City. AP
What People Are Saying
The Vatican said in a statement: “The Pope is still resting following a peaceful night.”
In San Diego, California, Robert McElroy, archbishop-elect of Washington, said: “He is a man of joy and a man of deep prayer who works tirelessly and does so with a sense of humor … He is a man who listens and truly engages with other people and believes that others have something to teach him.”
Dr. John Coleman, pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, told the AP: “This is extremely concerning, given the fact that the pope has been in the hospital now for over two weeks, and now he’s continuing to have these respiratory events.
What Happens Next
Catholics around the world are praying for their leader. Meanwhile, followers are descending on Rome as the Vatican is marking its Holy Year and questions remain over how the pope will lead the church over the Easter period.
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