Pope Francis ‘in good spirits,’ as doctors say pneumonia has been found in lungs

VATICAN CITY (RNS) – On Pope Francis’ fifth day in a Rome hospital, doctors repeated their assessment that his condition was “complex” after a CT scan of his chest revealed the onset of pneumonia in both lungs.

“The laboratory tests, the chest X-ray and the clinical conditions of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture,” read a statement from the medical team treating the pope that was shared by the Vatican on Tuesday (Feb. 18).

Francis admitted himself to Agostino Gemelli University Hospital on Friday complaining of a slight fever after struggling to speak and perform his duties over the previous week. At the hospital, doctors found that the pope had a polymicrobial infection, meaning that a number of viruses, bacteria or fungi were affecting his respiratory tract, and began antibiotic therapy.

“The polymicrobial infection, which arose in the context of bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis, and which required the use of antibiotic cortisone therapy, makes the therapeutic treatment more complex,” the statement read.

In the afternoon, the chest CT scan “demonstrated the onset of bilateral pneumonia that required further pharmacological therapy,” it added.

Despite the illness, “Pope Francis is in good spirits,” the statement continued. The 88-year-old pontiff received the Eucharist in the morning and spent the rest of the day praying and resting. Earlier in the day, Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni told Vatican journalists that the pope had a “quiet night” and caught up with the news during the day.

“He thanks for the closeness he feels at this moment and asks, with a grateful heart, that we continue to pray for him,” the statement read.

On Monday, Francis thanked the people, including children, at the hospital for the hundreds of letters and drawings they sent him wishing him well.

Francis is being treated at the 10^th floor of the hospital, which is reserved for popes. In 2023, he was admitted to Gemelli for abdominal surgery to remove scar tissue that was partly caused by a previous surgery in 2021 to remove a portion of his large intestine.

Francis has suffered from recurring bouts of bronchitis and in 2023 he had to be hospitalized for pneumonia. After having a portion of his lung removed as a youth in Argentina, the pope has struggled with respiratory tract infections.

The pope fell in December 2024, hurting his chin, and again in January, which caused him to wear a sling over his arm. He has also had trouble with sciatica and is mostly seen on a wheelchair.

Despite his physical ailments, Francis has been famously hesitant about medical appointments and checkups and is known for his tireless work ethic. In recent weeks he could be seen presiding over public events despite adverse weather.