What we know about the health of Pope Francis

________________

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis, 88, has suffered three breathing crises since being admitted to hospital in Rome on February 14, but the Vatican said on Tuesday evening his condition was "stable".

Here is what we know about the health of the Argentine pontiff, head of the Catholic Church and its almost 1.4 billion followers since 2013.

Respiratory attacks

Francis was admitted to the Gemelli hospital initially for bronchitis, but this then developed into pneumonia in both lungs.

On February 22 the Vatican revealed he had suffered a "prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis" which required him to receive "high-flow" oxygen via a nasal cannula.

Francis also required blood transfusions for thrombocytopenia, a blood condition that can prevent clotting and lead to continued bleeding.

Over the following days, he appeared to be getting slightly better.

Then on February 28 the pope suffered "an isolated crisis of bronchospasm" -- a tightening of the muscles that line the airways in the lungs -- which caused "an episode of vomiting with inhalation", the Holy See said.

He began "non-invasive mechanical ventilation" -- receiving oxygen through a mask, according to a Vatican source -- but was nevertheless reported to be "in good spirits".

On March 3 Francis suffered "two episodes of acute respiratory failure" due to a "significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm", the Vatican said.

Acute respiratory failure occurs when the lungs cannot pass enough oxygen into the blood, or when carbon dioxide builds up in the body.

Doctors performed two bronchoscopies in order to remove "abundant secretions" and the pope later continued to use an oxygen mask.

On Tuesday morning, he was able to remove the mask and switch back to the nasal cannula, the Vatican press office said.

That evening a Vatican statement said the pope's clinical conditions "remained stable", with no repeat of the previous day's crises, adding that he was "alert" and cooperating with treatment.

Pope Francis leads the vespers at St Peter's basilica in The Vatican, on February 1, 2025. The pontiff has been in hospital since February 14 with pneumonia

But he would wear the oxygen mask overnight and as in previous days, the prognosis "remains reserved", an indication that doctors cannot predict the likely outcome.

Updates but no photos

The pope has been staying in a special papal suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital, praying, doing some work and receiving colleagues, according to a Vatican source.

In a notable shift towards transparency compared to previous papacies, the Vatican has been providing twice-daily updates on his health.

The morning statement, normally one line shortly after 0700 GMT on his night's sleep, arrives to accredited reporters via Telegram and then is sent via email.

A more detailed medical bulletin arrives around 1800 GMT, describing the pope's clinical progress.

Doctors said Francis himself had requested they be frank about his medical state.

However, he has not been seen in public since being hospitalized, notably missing his Sunday Angelus prayers, which during previous hospital stays he delivered from the Gemelli balcony.

Nor has the Vatican published any images of the pontiff. It has published some written texts on his behalf.

Longest hospital stay

This is Francis's fourth hospital stay since he became pope on March 13, 2013, and is the longest and most fraught.

He has, in recent years, suffered from a number of health problems, even while maintaining a packed schedule, including many overseas trips.

Francis was admitted to the Gemelli between July 4 and July 14, 2021, for surgery on a type of diverticulitis, an inflammation of pockets that develop in the lining of the intestine.

In March 2023, he was an inpatient for three days for bronchitis and between June 7 and June 16 that year was admitted for a hernia operation.

As a young man, he had part of his right lung removed, making him more susceptible to respiratory infections.

Knee and hip pain have forced him to use a wheelchair since 2022. He underwent cataract surgery in 2019 and recently began wearing a hearing aid.