Pope Francis Hospitalized Again: Bronchitis Worsens Concerns About His Health

With a long history of health challenges, the Pope’s hospitalization raises questions about his ability to continue his duties amid ongoing bronchitis.

Pope Francis was admitted to a hospital on Friday for treatment and diagnostic tests related to his worsening bronchitis, according to a recent statement from the Vatican. This development reignites concerns regarding the 88-year-old pontiff's ongoing battle with health issues. Earlier that day, Francis had conducted his usual audience sessions before being transported to the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli, a hospital in Rome, to receive further medical care in a specialized setting.

The Vatican had disclosed earlier this month that the Pope was suffering from bronchitis, prompting him to conduct his audiences at the Casa Santa Marta—his residence—rather than at the Apostolic Palace. Recently, he has vocalized struggles with respiratory conditions, leading aides to manage various homilies and addresses at official events in his absence.

Francis has maintained a busy agenda since the commencement of the 2025 Jubilee, a significant occasion celebrated every 25 years by the Roman Catholic Church. Aside from his regular engagements, he has presided over numerous Saturday audience gatherings with pilgrims attending the Jubilee festivities in Rome and officiated multiple Masses at the Vatican on Sundays. Last weekend, record attendance prompted an outdoor Mass in front of St. Peter’s Basilica due to space constraints.

His hospital admission followed several audience sessions, including meetings with notable figures like Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and CNN's Chief Executive Mark Thompson. The Pope, who previously had part of a lung removed in his youth, has faced a series of health challenges over the years, often relying on a cane or wheelchair for mobility. He was hospitalized for bronchitis in 2023 and underwent surgery for a hernia later that year. He had previously sought diagnostic tests at the Gemelli hospital after experiencing flu symptoms last year.

In recent weeks, Francis has sustained injuries from falls within his suite, including bruising his chin in December and injuring his arm last month. During a recent general audience, he had to pause his prepared remarks, entrusting the reading to a colleague while apologizing for his bronchitis symptoms. "With my bronchitis, I can’t, I hope I will be able to next time," he remarked, highlighting the impact his health challenges have on his ecclesiastical duties.