Here’s What We Know About Pope Francis’ Health—As Vatican Reports ‘Complex Clinical Picture’

 

Pope Francis holds his homily during the weekly General Audience at the Paul VI Hall on February 12, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican.

Pope Francis remains hospitalized with what the Vatican said doctors called “a complex clinical picture” that will require continued hospitalization—news that comes after the leader of the Catholic Church was admitted last week for testing and bronchitis treatment.

Key Facts

The Vatican said in a press release early Monday that medical tests showed Francis had a “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract,” which indicated treatment will change and he will require further hospitalization.

Later on Monday, the Vatican said the pope was in “stable” condition without a fever and is "proceeding with the prescribed treatment.”

He has been at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic since Friday, when he checked in for “some necessary diagnostic tests” and treatment for bronchitis, according to the Vatican.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See press office, told reporters Monday Francis was “in good spirits” and has continued doing some of his work, including checking in on parishioners in Gaza, during his hospital stay.

What Is A Polymicrobial Infection?

A polymicrobial infection can be acute or chronic and is caused by “various combinations of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites,” according to the National Institutes of Health. The Vatican didn’t specify which kind of polymicrobial infection Francis has beyond saying it was in the respiratory tract, meaning the bacteria is in his lungs.

How Is A Polymicrobial Infection Treated?

The NIH reports polymicrobial infections are usually treated with antibiotics. Antibiotic treatments can take days to weeks, though Dr. Nick Hopkinson, medical director of Asthma + Lung UK, told the Associated Press the pope may be on a number of medicines to fight various illnesses and keep his chest clear and said, “some infections require prolonged treatment because they’re just harder to clear from the system.”

Big Number

88. That’s the age of Pope Francis, who has had a number of health concerns and has been serving as pope for nearly 12 years.

Key Background

Francis has had a history of respiratory health issues, including undergoing surgery in 1957 to remove part of his lung because of an infection, USA Today reported. He was hospitalized with a respiratory infection in March 2023 after having sharp pains in his chest and trouble breathing, and was diagnosed with bronchitis at the time, resulting in a three-day hospital stay. He was also hospitalized in July 2021 for 10 days after suffering a narrowing of the large intestine, and he has had a portion of his colon removed. Francis often uses a wheelchair or walker when seen in public, but said in a new autobiography he is well and “The reality is, quite simply, that I am old,” Reuters reported. He added: “The Church is governed using the head and the heart, not the legs.”