The Vatican announced on Tuesday that Pope Francis, who is currently 88 years old, will not be holding his scheduled audiences this weekend due to his hospitalization for a respiratory infection. The Pope’s absence is especially significant as it coincides with the upcoming Holy Year celebrations, an important event intended to encourage pilgrims to visit Rome and participate in unique spiritual activities. This Jubilee, which occurs every 25 years, is expected to draw around 30 million visitors and includes numerous special audiences and masses, some of which are now uncertain given the Pope’s health.
Pope Francis was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome last Friday after experiencing a worsening case of bronchitis, which he had been battling for about a week. Medical professionals later diagnosed him with a polymicrobial respiratory infection, indicating that various viruses and bacteria had infected his respiratory system. While the Vatican has not specified how long he will remain in the hospital, they indicated that addressing his “complex clinical situation” would require a sufficient stay.
On a more encouraging note, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni reported that the Pope had a peaceful night and was able to have breakfast and read the newspapers on Tuesday morning. A more detailed medical update is expected to be released later.
Originally, this weekend was meant to focus on deacons, a group integral to the preparation of future priests, with Pope Francis set to lead a special audience and ordain new deacons during mass. However, the Vatican confirmed that these plans have changed, and the Archbishop overseeing the Jubilee will now lead the mass. This mirrors a previous situation where visiting artists had to settle for a service conducted by a cardinal due to the Pope’s health issues.
Looking ahead, the next Jubilee events, which are organized for the weekend of March 8-9, will honor volunteers, and it remains to be seen how the Pope’s health will impact his participation.
Historically, Pope Francis has had respiratory challenges, having undergone lung surgery in his youth and being prone to bronchitis during winter months. He has a reputation for pushing through his busy schedule even in the face of medical advice, often refusing to cut back on his commitments. This latest hospitalization has seen him miss more responsibilities than a prior pneumonia admission in 2023.
