International

Pope Francis Suffers Breathing Crisis – Vatican confirms

Published

2 months ago

Mar 1, 2025.

Dennis

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Pope Francis suffered a breathing crisis due to pneumonia but remains in good spirits.
Doctors aspirated his lungs and placed him on oxygen therapy after a sudden respiratory decline.
Vatican says further medical evaluation is needed, with no prognosis given yet.

Pope Francis, who has been battling pneumonia for two weeks, experienced an “isolated” breathing crisis while in hospital, the Vatican has confirmed.

The 88-year-old pontiff suffered a bronchospasm on Friday, leading to a sudden deterioration in his respiratory condition and an episode of vomiting. Doctors had to aspirate his lungs to clear the vomit, and he is now receiving oxygen through a face mask to aid his breathing.

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Vatican sources indicate that medical experts will need 24 to 48 hours to assess whether the episode has caused any setbacks. For now, no prognosis has been given, but the Pope remains alert and “in good spirits.”

A Vatican statement described the incident, saying that after spending his morning alternating between respiratory therapy and prayer, Pope Francis experienced a bronchospasm, which resulted in vomiting and a rapid worsening of his breathing. Medical staff responded immediately by performing a bronchoaspiration and initiating non-invasive ventilation, with the pontiff showing a “good response to gas exchange.”

The crisis reportedly occurred at around 14:00 local time, though it is unclear how long it lasted. It comes after Vatican updates in recent days had pointed to “slight improvement” in his condition. Earlier that morning, the Pope had received Communion.

The pontiff has been hospitalised at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since February 14 after experiencing breathing difficulties. Initially treated for bronchitis, he was later diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs. On February 22, the Vatican acknowledged he had suffered a respiratory crisis and was in “critical” condition. However, an update later stated that he had not experienced any further respiratory episodes.

The Pope, unable to lead the Angelus prayer for a second consecutive week, has urged Catholics to pray for his recovery. While the Vatican remains optimistic about his health, officials stress that “further days of clinical stability are necessary to resolve the prognosis.”