Pope Francis developed pneumonia and his condition remains “complex”, says the Vatican.
The 88-year-old suffers from a respiratory infection for more than a week, and on Friday he was admitted to the Gemelli Rome Hospital.
“The CT scan on the chest with which the Holy Father passed this afternoon … showed the beginning of bilateral pneumonia, which required additional drug therapy,” Vatican said.
It was said that lab tests, X -ray of the chest and the Pope clinical “continue to display a complex image”.
Nevertheless, Pope Francis remained in “good spirits,” the statement said.
Before his reception last week, the Pope had symptoms of bronchitis for several days and he delegated officials to read the prepared speeches at events.
Over the weekend, he was supposed to have several events for the Catholic Holy Year 2025, which lasted until the next January, but all public events at the Pope’s calendar were canceled by Sunday.
On Monday, the Vatican said that for the second time, doctors changed the Pope’s medication therapy during the hospital stay to get rid of what was considered a “polymycrobial infection of the respiratory tract at the time.”
The Pope is especially prone to lung infections due to the development of pleuris as an adult and part of one of his lungs removed at the age of 21.
During his 12 years as a leader of the Roman Catholic Church, he has been hospitalized several times, including March 2023, when he spent three nights in a hospital with bronchitis.
