Vatican's statement on the Pope's health condition

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Creation Date: February 24, 2025 22:09

The Vatican made a written statement regarding the health condition of the 88-year-old Pope, who has been hospitalized in Gemelli Hospital in Rome for 11 days due to severe bronchitis that he had at the beginning of the month and was diagnosed with double-sided pneumonia there.

The statement included the following information:

"Although the Pope's health condition is critical, a slight improvement is observed. Today, there were no asthma-like respiratory attacks and some laboratory tests showed improvement. The follow-up of mild renal failure is not a cause for concern. Although he continues to receive oxygen support, the oxygen flow rate and percentage have been slightly reduced. Doctors are cautiously not making a definitive prognosis yet, considering the complexity of the clinical picture."

The Vatican's statement said the Pope resumed his work activities in the afternoon and met with a priest of a church in Gaza in the evening, as he does on an ordinary day.

In the Vatican statement made in the morning, it was noted that the Pope had spent the night calmly, that his treatments were continuing in the morning, that he was in no pain and in a good mood.

On the other hand, the cardinals residing in Rome will gather this evening in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, under the leadership of the Vatican Secretary of State (Prime Minister) Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to pray for the health of the Pope.

POPE HAS BEEN RECEIVING TREATMENT IN HOSPITAL SINCE FEBRUARY 14

Pope Francis was unable to deliver a speech at two public events on February 9 and 12, saying he had bronchitis and difficulty breathing, and asked his aides to read the text of his speeches.

It was reported that the Pope, who was taken to Gemelli Hospital on February 14, had a polymicrobial infection in his respiratory tract.

The Vatican announced on February 18 that the Pope had developed double-sided pneumonia and that his clinical condition painted a complex picture.

In their statement on February 21, his doctors stated that "although he is not completely out of danger, the Pope's life is not in danger."

The Pope, who had an asthma attack on February 22, was said to be in "critical condition", while yesterday's Vatican statement reported that "the Pope has not experienced another respiratory crisis, has a mild onset of renal failure, and is receiving high-flow oxygen supplements through the nose."

HEALTH PROBLEMS HAVE INCREASED IN RECENT YEARS

Pope Francis, who has been the spiritual leader of Catholics since 2013, was admitted to Gemelli Hospital for the first time in 2021 and underwent colon surgery.

The Pope, who was treated twice more at the same hospital for shortness of breath and for an operation to place a prosthesis in his abdominal wall, has been using a wheelchair in recent years due to knee pain.