Pope Francis emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square and treat them to a surprise popemobile romp through the piazza, drawing wild cheers and applause as he continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia. “Viva il Papa!” (Long live the pope), “Bravo!” … Read more
Pope Francis made a surprise entrance to St. Peter’s Square during a special Jubilee Mass for the sick and health workers on Sunday, marking his first public appearance at the Vatican since leaving t he hospital two weeks ago after a life-threatening bout with pneumonia. The pontiff waved at the crowd of faithful that stood … Read more
A weak and frail Pope Francis returned home to the Vatican from the hospital on Sunday after surviving a five-week, life-threatening bout of pneumonia, making a surprise stop at his favorite basilica on the way home before beginning two months of prescribed rest and recovery. The motorcade carrying the 88-year-old pope entered the Perugino gate … Read more
After 38 days battling a life-threatening case of pneumonia in both lungs, Pope Francis will be released from the hospital on Sunday, his doctors said. Francis will, however, require at least two months of rest and rehabilitation as he continues recovering back at the Vatican, Gemelli medical director Dr. Sergio Alfieri said on Saturday. Francis … Read more
Doctors said Monday Pope Francis is no longer in imminent danger of death as a result of pneumonia that has kept him hospitalized for nearly a month, but have decided to keep him hospitalized for several more days to receive treatment. In a late update, the doctors said the 88-year-old pope remains stable and has … Read more
Pope Francis hit the three-week mark Friday in his hospitalization for double pneumonia, in stable condition, receiving therapy but not necessarily improving, after giving the world a tangible indication of just how frail and sick he is. The 88-year-old Francis spent 20 minutes in the Gemelli hospital chapel, praying and doing some work in between … Read more
Pope Francis suffered two new acute respiratory crises Monday and was put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, in another setback to his battle to fight pneumonia, the Vatican said. Doctors extracted “copious” amounts of mucus from his lungs during two bronchoscopies, in which a camera-tipped tube was sent down into the airways with a sucker … Read more
A stable Pope Francis had a visit Sunday from the Vatican secretary of state as he continued his recovery from double pneumonia, but again skipped his weekly noon blessing to avoid even a brief public appearance from the hospital. Instead, the Vatican distributed a message from the pope in which he thanked his doctors for … Read more
Pope Francis had coffee and was reading newspapers Saturday after an alarming setback in his two-week recovery from double pneumonia: Doctors had to put him on noninvasive mechanical ventilation following a coughing fit in which he inhaled vomit that needed to then be extracted. Doctors said it would take a day or two to evaluate … Read more
Pope Francis suffered a bronchial spasm on Friday that resulted in him breathing in vomit, requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican said in relaying a setback in his two-week long battle against double pneumonia. The 88-year-old pope responded well, with a good level of gas exchange, and remained conscious and alert at all times, the … Read more