OAN Staff Abril Elfi
12:47 PM – Monday, February 17, 2025
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, has been struggling with a “complex clinical” condition — resulting in a series of hospital visits.
On Monday, the Vatican released a statement saying that the 88-year-old pope has a “polymicrobial infection” of his respiratory tract, prompting him to receive a number of hospital treatments after tests had indicated a “complex clinical picture.”
“The results of the tests carried out in recent days and today have demonstrated a polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract that has led to a further change in therapy,” the Vatican said in a statement.
“All the tests carried out to date are indicative of a complex clinical picture that will require adequate hospitalization.”
The Roman Catholic church later released another statement, noting that the pope remains in a stable clinical condition and that he is continuing his prescribed therapy.
“This morning, he received the Eucharist and subsequently dedicated himself to some work activities and reading texts,” a statement said.
In the Catholic Church, the “Eucharist” is a sacrament where bread and wine are believed to become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. It’s also known as Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper.
The statement also mentioned that Pope Francis felt “touched” by the messages of affection that he continues to receive.
“In particular, he intends to express his thanks to those who are currently hospitalized, for the affection and love that they express through the drawings and good wishes,” it stated.
“He prays for them and asks that they pray for him,” it added.
The Argentinian leader of the Roman Catholic Church was checked into a hospital in Rome, Italy, last week for “diagnostic tests” relating to a respiratory tract infection.
Additionally, the pope was forced to cancel a number of meetings that he had scheduled for the following days, and he did not lead the weekly Angelus prayer on Sunday.
Doctors have advised him to receive “complete rest.”
During the pope’s younger days as a 21-year-old, he developed pleurisy and was forced to have part of one of his lungs removed in Argentina. He was formerly known as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio. Later, in 2023, the pope was admitted to a hospital again due to bronchitis and pneumonia.
According to the U.S. Institutes of Health, polymicrobial infections are acute and chronic diseases that can be caused by a combination of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.
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