Pope Francis' condition remains stable, and he is alternating mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy, the Vatican said on Saturday. The 88-year-old bishop clearly has no fever and has not experienced another bronchospasm.
Vatican sources say the Pope is “complex” but “stable” when he enters his third week at Gemeri Hospital in Rome. His white blood cell count is clearly “very low,” so the infection is likely to be under control, the source added.
Pope Francis is waving from his popemovie after a weekly Angelus prayer at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican on October 20, 2024. (Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty)
Pope Francis's medical condition: What you need to know about bilateral pneumonia
The Pope clearly feels good, can move, eat and walk. However, Vatican sources say his doctors advise him to stay cautiously. According to Vatican sources, he chose to take a break on Saturday instead of working with his secretary.
Pope Francis was originally hospitalized on February 14th because it was thought to be a bronchitis match. He was later diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. That is, it is in both lungs.
The 88-year-old clergyman has a history of respiratory problems and removed part of his lungs when he was only 21 years old.
A candle with a portrait of Pope Francis is placed at the bottom of a statue of Pope John Paul II at Gemeri Hospital, where Pope Francis is hospitalized for testing and treatment of bronchitis in Rome on February 17, 2025. (Tigiana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)
VP Vance shares a special message that will make Pope Francis sick amid the respiratory crisis
Catholics around the world pray for the Pope's health, and many people gather around hospitals to help him.
On Friday, while speaking at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, Vice President JD Vance spoke about the Pope's health struggle and said he had prayed every day since he first heard Pope Francis was hospitalized.
The Vice President admitted that the Pope and the Trump administration had thrust their heads in, but he emphasized the importance of praying for Pope Francis and led the crowd to prayer.
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“I believe that the Pope is basically someone who cares about Christian flocks under his leadership, and that he cares about the spiritual direction of his faith,” Vance said. “Every day, me and my children have prayed for the Holy Father. We pray for his health, and we pray for his comfort in dealing with what he appears to be a rather serious health crisis.”
“If the Holy Father can hear us, I hope he knows that there are thousands of faithful Catholics in this room, and millions of faithful Catholics in this country, praying for him as he overcomes certain storms,” the Vice President concluded.
