Rome, Italy
CNN
—
Pope Francis can be hospitalized for “a couple of days” for the therapy of a respiratory an infection, the Vatican mentioned on Wednesday, elevating considerations over the well being of the 86-year-old pontiff.
“In latest days Pope Francis complained of some respiratory difficulties and this afternoon he went to Policlinico A. Gemelli for some medical checks,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni mentioned in a press release, referring to the Rome hospital the place popes are usually handled. “The end result of the identical confirmed a respiratory an infection (excluding Covid-19 an infection) that can require a couple of days of applicable hospital medical remedy.”
“Pope Francis is touched by the numerous messages obtained and expresses his gratitude for the closeness and prayer,” Bruni added.
After his weekly normal viewers in St. Peter’s Sq., Francis was taken to the hospital to bear a variety of exams. Earlier within the day, the Vatican had mentioned that the go to and exams have been deliberate.
“The Holy Father has been at Gemelli since this afternoon for some beforehand scheduled exams,” Bruni had mentioned.
Shortly after, he mentioned that the pope’s schedule for Thursday had been cleared “to create space for the continuation of exams ought to that be needed.”
The pontiff has a latest historical past of medical points. He has typically been seen with a strolling stick and generally makes use of a wheelchair as a consequence of ache in his proper knee.
Final yr, he canceled a visit to Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan after docs mentioned he may additionally need to miss a later journey to Canada until he agreed to have 20 extra days of remedy and relaxation for his knee. He in the end went to the DRC and South Sudan in February.
In 2021, he had surgical procedure to take away a part of his colon as a consequence of diverticulitis, a standard situation.
Francis lately revealed that he had already signed his resignation letter for use within the occasion of him turning into “impaired.” Francis made the remark in a December interview with Spanish information outlet ABC when requested what would occur if a pope is abruptly rendered unable to carry out his duties as a consequence of well being points or an accident.
Francis mentioned he wrote the letter a number of years in the past and gave it to then-Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who resigned in 2013.
“I’ve already signed my renunciation. The Secretary of State on the time was Tarcisio Bertone. I signed it and mentioned: ‘If I ought to turn into impaired for medical causes or no matter, right here is my renunciation,’” Francis was quoted as saying, including that this was the primary time he had spoken publicly concerning the letter’s existence.
Francis mentioned previous pontiffs Paul VI and Pious XII had additionally drafted their letters of renunciation within the occasion of a everlasting impairment.
In 2013, Francis’ quick predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, made the just about unprecedented choice to resign from his place, citing “superior age” as the rationale and startling the Catholic world.
It marked the primary time a pope had stepped down in almost 600 years. The final pope to step down earlier than his demise was Gregory XII, who in 1415 give up to finish a civil struggle inside the church by which multiple man claimed to be pope.
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