In brief
The 88-year-old pontiff has struggled with bronchitis symptoms over the past few days, leading him to delegate upcoming speeches to aides.
Pope Francis, the 88-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church, is set to be admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome for treatment and diagnostic tests related to bronchitis. The Vatican confirmed that he will undergo treatment following his morning audiences on Friday. Symptoms of bronchitis have persisted for several days, culminating in the Pope requesting his aides to read his prepared speeches during recent events. A Vatican statement highlighted the Pope's struggle with his condition, noting that he had instructed a priest to read part of his speech due to his illness. “Let me ask the priest to continue to read, because I cannot yet, with my bronchitis. I hope that next time I can,” he expressed during a recent address. This has not been the first instance where the Pope has found it difficult to carry out his duties; he conceded to aides on multiple occasions—including at a mass on Sunday and during last Wednesday's general audience—asking for their assistance in reading on his behalf.In an effort to recover, the Pope had conducted meetings at his Vatican residence last week. Notably, this isn't the first time the Pontiff has been treated for bronchitis; he spent three nights at the same hospital back in March 2023. The Pope had also to cancel his planned trip to the United Arab Emirates for the COP28 climate summit that December due to another health issue. Over his nearly 12-year leadership, Pope Francis has faced several health challenges, one of the most significant being the removal of part of one of his lungs when he was just 21 years old.
