Pope’s Health Improves After Pneumonia Setback

ROME — Pope Francis, after seemingly overcoming a setback during his recovery from pneumonia, was reported to be up and about, receiving therapy on Monday. According to Vatican sources, the Pope’s condition is stable, and he is no longer on mechanical ventilation, showing no signs of new infection following a recent respiratory crisis.

“The pope rested well all night,” officials noted in their update from Gemelli hospital, where Pope Francis has been hospitalized since February 14.
On Monday morning, he enjoyed coffee and breakfast and underwent routine therapy sessions.

Earlier reports from doctors revealed that the 88-year-old Pontiff spent Sunday free from using the noninvasive mechanical ventilation equipment, necessary after a distressing coughing episode last Friday.
However, Pope Francis continued to receive high flow supplemental oxygen via a nasal tube.

Concerns of a new lung infection arose when the Pope aspirated vomit, leading doctors to be vigilant of any potential complications. After aspirating the fluid, medical professionals remarked that the following 24 to 48 hours would be crucial to determine if an infection developed.

By Sunday evening, the physicians confirmed that Pope Francis remained stable without fever or infection, suggesting he had successfully overcome the crisis, though his prognosis was still cautious, indicating the importance of ongoing vigilance.

During this time, Pope Francis was visited by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, his chief of staff.
Although details of their discussion were not disclosed, these regular meetings align with the pope’s usual Vatican routine.

In light of his condition, Pope Francis chose to forgo his traditional weekly noon blessing, avoiding a public appearance from the hospital. Instead, the Vatican released a message penned by the Pope from the hospital, expressing gratitude to his doctors and supporters, along with prayers for peace, particularly concerning Ukraine.

“From here, war appears even more absurd,” the Pope commented, adding that his hospitalization was an opportunity to connect deeply in compassion and solidarity with those enduring illness globally.

He remarked, “I feel in my heart the ‘blessing’ that is hidden within frailty,” appreciating the moments that allow deeper trust in divine strength.
The Pope expressed gratitude for sharing in the physical and spiritual trials of countless sufferers.

Having had part of a lung removed during his younger years, the Argentine Pope was admitted to Gemelli due to bronchitis spiraling into complex pneumonia.

Meanwhile, back in Vatican City on Sunday night, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski led the Rosary prayer on behalf of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square. “Let us pray together with the entire church for the health of the Holy Father Francis,” implored Krajewski, who manages the Pope’s initiatives of outreach and charity work.

On the following Monday, Cardinal Robert Prevost, who heads the Vatican’s authoritative office for bishops, presided over the evening’s prayer, continuing the church’s collective prayers for Francis’s recovery.