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Pope Francis suffers bronchial spasm, Vatican says his prognosis remains guarded
Pope had a bronchial spasm, his prognosis remains guarded, Vatican says
Pope Francis faced a health setback on Friday after a bronchial spasm caused him to inhale vomit, requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican said.
The episode comes amid his two-week battle with double pneumonia.
The Vatican said the 88-year-old Pope responded well to treatment, maintaining stable gas exchange while remaining conscious and alert throughout.
The incident marked a setback after two days of optimistic updates from doctors at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where Francis has been receiving treatment since February 14.
The episode, which occurred in the early afternoon, led to a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” As a precaution, doctors opted to keep his prognosis guarded.
The Vatican has already made alternative arrangements for Ash Wednesday next week, indicating that Pope Francis still faces a long recovery. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a senior Vatican official and former vicar of Rome, will lead the March 5 ceremony and procession that marks the beginning of Lent, the church’s solemn season leading up to Easter in April.
Earlier on Friday, Francis spent the morning alternating between high-flow supplemental oxygen and a mask while praying in the chapel. He had breakfast, read the day’s newspapers, and underwent respiratory physiotherapy, the Vatican said.
Doctors have not resumed describing Pope Francis as being in “critical condition,” a term that has been absent from their statements for the past three days.
In previous years, when Pope Francis faced bronchitis and influenza during winter, he limited his participation in Ash Wednesday and Holy Week events.
These ceremonies require the pope to be outdoors in the cold, leading services, joining processions, and presiding over prayers during the solemn period when the faithful commemorate Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.
Looking ahead, Pope Francis has several major events on his schedule that he may hope to attend if his health permits. On April 27, he is set to canonise Carlo Acutis, who is considered the first millennial and digital-era saint.
The Vatican regards the Italian teenager, who died of leukaemia in 2006 at the age of 15, as an inspiration for young Catholics.
Another significant event is the May 24 commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council.
Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, has invited Francis to join him in Iznik, Türkiye, to mark the occasion.
He has described the event as an important step toward reconciliation between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Before falling ill, Francis had expressed his hope to attend, though the Vatican has not confirmed the trip.
With AP inputs
