Pope Francis was admitted to the hospital for bronchitis treatment Friday and has canceled all scheduled events for the next three days, according to the Vatican.
“This morning, at the end of the audiences, Pope Francis was admitted to the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli for some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue his treatment for bronchitis,” the Vatican said in a statement.
An updated statement said an examination found that the Pople had an infection of the respiratory tract and he had a slight fever.
Following his hospitalization, the Vatican said the Pope had canceled his scheduled events for the next three days.
That included the Jubilee Audience, a public meeting with pilgrims Feb. 15, Holy Mass on Feb. 16, and a meeting with artists Feb. 17.
The 88-year-old pontiff has suffered from influenza and related health issues repeatedly over the past two years. He also underwent surgery in 2021 to address a painful condition called diverticulitis and again in 2023 to repair a hernia.
Last month, the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics also appeared in a sling after injuring his right forearm in a fall at his residence, according to Reuters. The Vatican had said he did not suffer any broken bones in the fall. It came weeks after the pontiff bruised his face in an earlier fall in December, the news agency reported.
In his autobiography, “HOPE,” which was published last month, Francis appeared to downplay his health issues, writing, “I am well,” according to Reuters. “The reality is, quite simply, that I am old.”
The pope, who often uses a wheelchair due to continued knee and back pain, wrote that “the Church is governed using the head and the heart, not the legs.”