Carter Scott ‘26, Entertainment Editor
On Feb. 14, Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, was administered to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome for bronchitis; not long after his admission, pneumonia developed in his lungs, which worsened his condition. He remained under extreme medical care and was thought to be improving, but on Feb. 28, The Holy See, the central bodying government of the Vatican City State, said, “The pope suffered an isolated crisis of bronchospasm – a tightening of the muscles that line the airways in the lungs – which caused an episode of vomiting with inhalation.” On March 2, it was revealed that 48 hours after the crisis, there were no further signs of worsening health.
While residing in the Gemelli Hospital, Pope Francis has continued to perform prayer and work. In an article posted and created by France 24, it was stated that, “He has been reading and signing documents, notably appointments of bishops around the world, as well as making telephone calls.” Due to his health and work, he has not made a public appearance since his admission. Instead, the Vatican has been publishing his written texts and work weekly.
In response to the recent events regarding Pope Francis’s health, David Merlich, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Vatican analyst, said, “On the one side, they want to respect the privacy and the dignity of an elderly man who is in the hospital and is very, very ill. On the other side, there is an acknowledgement that as the leader of over a billion Roman Catholics in the world, and a globally famous person, people are necessarily curious about the Pope’s health.”
Since becoming the pope on March 13, 2013, he has been hospitalized four times. This, although, has been his longest and most frightening stay. It was stated in a France 24 article that “As a young man, he had part of his right lung removed, making him more susceptible to respiratory infections,” which could very well be a leading factor for troubles regarding his respiratory system.
As Pope Francis recovers, it is important to understand the fragility that comes with age. Like everybody, declining health is something that comes with time. Pope Francis has done a lot for the Catholic Church and continues to work through his health crises, and patience, privacy, and understanding are required for the time being.
Lyon Life 