VATICAN CITY, Rome – Pope Francis has been admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome for further medical examinations and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican announced on Friday, February 14, 2025.
The 88-year-old pontiff has been battling respiratory issues in recent weeks, forcing him to cancel engagements and delegate public speaking duties.
“This morning, at the end of the audiences, Pope Francis will be admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic for some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue in a hospital setting treatment for bronchitis that is still ongoing,” the Vatican said in a statement.
Officials later confirmed that he had been admitted and that his scheduled meetings for the next three days had been cancelled.
Health Struggles and Recent Public Appearances
Despite his illness, the Pope held meetings at the Vatican on Friday morning, including with Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and CNN Chief Executive Mark Thompson.
However, Vatican correspondents noted that while Francis remained mentally alert, he struggled to speak at length due to breathing difficulties.
Christopher Lamb, CNN’s Vatican Correspondent, said he observed visible strain in the Pope’s ability to speak.
Earlier this week, the Pope asked aides to read his speeches at several events, including Sunday’s Mass and Wednesday’s general audience. On Wednesday, he told attendees:
“Let me ask the priest to continue to read, because I cannot yet, with my bronchitis. I hope that next time I can.”
A statue of the late Pope John Paul II stands outside the Gemelli Hospital where Pope Francis has gone to continue treatment for ongoing bronchitis in Rome, Italy, Feb. 14, 2025. | REUTERS/Remo Casilli
Recurring Health Concerns
This latest hospitalisation follows a series of health challenges that have raised concerns about the Pope’s ability to maintain his demanding schedule.
In March 2023, he was hospitalised for three nights at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he was treated for bronchitis.
Just months later, in June, he underwent abdominal surgery to repair a hernia, a procedure that required an extended recovery period.
His health struggles continued into late 2023 when, in December, he was forced to cancel his planned trip to the COP28 climate summit in Dubai due to illness.
The setback raised fresh questions about his ability to maintain his demanding schedule.
Most recently, in January 2025, Pope Francis suffered a fall, injuring his arm—another reminder of the physical toll of his advancing age.
Francis, who became the first Latin American pope in 2013, has also lived with long-term respiratory issues since his youth. At age 21, he had part of a lung removed following a severe case of pneumonia.
In addition, he suffers from diverticulitis, a condition affecting the colon, for which he had surgery in 2021.
A Demanding Schedule Amid Health Challenges
Despite his declining health, Francis has maintained a busy travel schedule, including a 12-day tour of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific last year.
The trip, covering nearly 20,000 miles, was one of the longest ever undertaken by a pope.
Last week, the Vatican announced that Francis is scheduled to meet King Charles III in April. However, it remains unclear whether his latest illness will affect his upcoming commitments.
For now, the Vatican has provided no details on how long Francis will remain hospitalised, but officials have assured the public that his condition is being closely monitored.
