VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis is suffering from a “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract,” test results revealed Feb. 17, “which required a further modification of his therapy,” a Vatican medical bulletin said.
“All the tests performed to date indicate a complex clinical picture that will require an appropriate hospital stay,” said the bulletin.
The 88-year-old pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital Feb. 14 after more than a week of suffering from bronchitis and difficulty breathing. He was diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection.
Polymicrobial means multiple pathogens are involved.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, had told reporters earlier Feb. 17 that the pope slept well, woke up and had breakfast and was reading newspapers and continuing his therapy. He was in a good mood, Bruni said.
As of Feb. 17 there was no information on when the pope would be released from the hospital, although his weekly general audience Feb. 19 was canceled. The Vatican has not said what would happen with the Mass and the ordination of permanent deacons the pope was scheduled to preside over Feb. 23 as part of the Jubilee of Deacons. The Prefecture of the Papal Household, which organizes many of the pope’s meetings, reportedly canceled appointments scheduled through Feb. 22.
Italian newspapers reported Feb. 17 that Pope Francis had an aide phone Holy Family Parish in Gaza his first two nights in the hospital to continue to check on the priests, religious and hundreds of families taking shelter there. The pope has been calling the parish every evening for months.
“The pope called us Friday and Saturday; he was in a good mood, his voice a little tired, but he wanted to know how we were,” said an unnamed official at the parish who spoke to the Italian TGcom24 television station. “An aide handed him the phone and he was able to talk to us.”
However, the official said, on Feb. 16 “he rested, and we knew he wouldn’t call.”
The pope, who underwent surgery in 1957 to remove part of one of his lungs after suffering a severe respiratory infection, has been susceptible to colds and bouts of bronchitis.
Beginning with his weekly general audience Feb. 5, Pope Francis had an aide read the bulk of his homilies and prepared speeches at public Masses and audiences.
“It is difficult for me to speak,” he explained to visitors at the audience Feb. 5 before handing off his text.
At Mass Feb. 9 for the Jubilee of the Armed Services, Police and Security Personnel, he apologized, saying he was having “difficulty breathing.”
At his general audience Feb. 12, he apologized for not delivering the main talk himself, saying it was “because I still can’t with my bronchitis. I hope next time I can.”
But on all those public occasions, he took the microphone to urge prayers for peace and to give his blessing.
