Pope Francis said he was breathing alone and resting well after bilateral diagnosis of pneumonia

Rome – On Wednesday, the Vatican said Pope Francis spent a quiet night at a Roman hospital – Fifth after receiving with a bronchitis he had developed in pneumonia in both lungs. Bilateral diagnosis of pneumonia on Tuesday would be a worrying turn for any 88-year-old, but this is particularly worrying about the leader of the Catholic Church, who has long suffered from respiratory problems.

Pope Francis rested well, woke up and eaten breakfast on Wednesday morning, Vatican said. The source in the institution said that Pontiff did not suffer heart problems and breathe alone without the help of a respirator. They said he was sitting in an armchair sometimes, and it was implied that it was under the strict orders of his medical team to rest.

The Vatican later said on Wednesday that the pope was in stable condition, and blood tests showed a slight improvement, especially with inflammation markers.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Francisco on Wednesday afternoon, and the two spoke privately for 20 minutes, Vatican said. Close assistants also brought him documents to review and sign.

Another source told the CBS News that Francis had done a number of telephone calls and also received notes from benefactors.

People gathered outside the Gemelli Hospital in Rome to show their support, and many left messages and notes near the statue of former Pope John Paul II. On Wednesday, the Vatican also shared a selection of photographs that show some drawings and notes of support that the children treated at Gemelli’s pediatric oncology unit sent to the Pope.

The Pope always kept a very busy schedule, and at some of his public events earlier in the month he appeared without breath, before he was admitted to the hospital on Friday because of what was first Diagnosed as bronchitis.

The new diagnosis was confirmed on Tuesday, at the pneumonia in both of his lungs, the day after the Vatican said that Pontif had a polymycrobial infection of the respiratory tract and that the test results were “indicating a complex clinical picture that would require an appropriate hospital stay.”

The Vatican said on Tuesday that pneumonia would require additional drug therapy. The disease was detected after Francis subjected CT to the chest scan on Tuesday afternoon, Vatican said.

The Vatican said that Francis is grateful for the “closeness he feels at the moment” from his supporters and that he asked for people to pray for him.

This is the Pope’s fourth hospitalization since he took over the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church in 2013. abdominal surgery 2021, and then had a second procedure in 2023 to repair the scar tissue and the abdominal hernia. Was briefly hospitalized to the treatment of pneumonia earlier that year.

As a young man in his home country of Argentina, Francis was removed part of a lung after a pulmonary infection, leaving him vulnerable to respiratory diseases.

The Vatican canceled the audience that Francis was supposed to have on Saturday, and announced that he would not celebrate Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope continuous hospitalization comes just over two weeks before the start of the annual Christian respect for Lent. The 40-day period of Lent begins on Wednesday ASH, which falls this year on March 5th.

Just before Easter last year, Francis refused to attend the Great Friday procession in the Roman Colosseum in an effort to preserve his health, but the Pope later led tens of thousands of worshipers in Easter celebration.